A Place In the Sun Ch 1 to 50
by Gigi
Summary: Centers around Ryan, Gillian, and the Santos family, takes place starting Aug 12, 2003
1. Chapter 1

A Place In the Sun

1

Gillian heard a glass crash to the floor in the next room.

I didn't mean to, Gillian heard a small voice plead. It was an accident. I'm sorry.You clumsy little brat! Ray yelled. You did it on purpose, you know you did. the little girl yelled.

Katalin! I'm coming! Gillian yelled, running down the hall.

Stay back, Gill, she broke the glass, now she has to be punished, Ray said, taking off  
his belt.

Katalin obediently bent down and pulled up her shirt, closing her eyes, waiting to be  
struck.

Ray! No! Gillian yelled.

He brought the belt down over Katalin's back.

Ray, Kata's too young, Gillian pleaded. Stop, Ray, hit me instead.

Ray raised the belt again to strike Katalin. As he started to bring it down, Gillian ran in  
to block her daughter from the blow. Gillian felt the sting of the belt on her face.

The child deserves to be punished, Ray yelled at Gillian.

Ray, Kata's only four years old, it was an accident, and it was only a glass.

Gillian knew that no amount of pleading would help. She was still crouching over her  
daughter. Katalin shot out from underneath of her and ran down the hall.

Ray started after her, but Gillian jumped into the doorway.

Leave her alone, Ray, Gillian pleaded again.

The clock on the wall chimed for eight o'clock.

Ah, you win for now, Gill, I've got to get to the card game. But I'll see that that little  
bastard child of your's gets the discipline she deserves.

Ray slammed the front door as he left.

When Katalin heard the motorcycle start and speed off down the street, she came back  
out to Gillian.

Mommy, he scares me, Katalin said softly to Gillian.

Katalin's words echoed in Gillian's head. Kata hadn't said she was scared; she said that  
Ray scares her.

Oh, Kata, I'm so sorry, Gillian said, picking up her daughter.

It's not your fault, Mommy, Katalin said, looking up at Gillian with her eyes full of  
compassion, yet so sad. Katalin wiped the tears from Gillian's face.

Gillian hugged Katalin close and then told her, Hurry, put some of your things in your  
napsack, we're getting out of here.

Katalin and Gillian quickly gathered what they were going to take and were out in the car  
within ten minutes.

Gillian drove off in the still, dark night, not knowing where she was going or where she  
wanted to end up, but she knew it was anywhere but here.

...

I wish you were here to see this, Julia said to the photograph of Noah.

Noah had been killed in an accident at his work three years earlier.

Julia had received word from Jackson Montgomery that it was safe now for her to return  
to Pine Valley. At least as safe as it was for her to be anywhere else.

As the news that Julia could come back spread to the rest of the family, Mateo, Rosa, and  
her mother had planned a sort of family reunion for them all. They had also spoken with  
Anita and Bobby and they were planning their first visit to Pine Valley in six years.

Are you ready yet? Rose called up to Julia from the kitchen.

Just about, Mama Rose! Julia yelled back. Ever since her and Noah and Rose had been  
sent away, she'd considered Rose as her mother, also.

C'mon, we need to get to the airport!I'm coming! Julia picked up her suitcase.

It had been nearly six years since she'd been in Pine Valley. She didn't know what to  
expect, or how things had changed. She knew that nothing could ever be the same as  
before Rose and Grady had come into their lives, not with Noah gone, and especially  
with Maria gone. Her family could never be the same as it had been.

...

Anita stood at the sink, packing up her makeup and hair bag.

Bobby came up behind her and leaned down to kiss her on her neck.

I'm so excited, Bobby! Anita said. We finally get to see Julia again. I can't wait to  
go home.I thought our home was here, in Chicago, baby, Bobby said.

Oh, c'mon. We've been through this before now, she said, going into their bedroom.  
You haven't seen Sammy in so long, you know you can't wait to see how he's grown.  
And he'll be so happy to see his father.Anita, Edmund is Sam's father, you know that. Anita hesitated. I talked to Edmund last nigh, before you got home. Kelsey's  
come back to Pine Valley. He said she came home with Joe and Ruth after her  
graduation.Is she causing trouble for Edmund again?No, Edmund said she didn't even approach him about seeing Sam, he ran into her at  
SOS and he suggested that she come see Sam. Kelsey hadn't seen him in nearly as long  
as you haven't.Anita, I haven't seen Sam in nearly six years! He probably doesn't even remember me,  
I have no right to see him.But, you could go see him as your nephew, couldn't you?

Bobby looked up at her, with a confused look.

You are Sam's uncle, also, Bobby still looked confused. Ugh! See, Anita drew  
pictures in the air, there's me and Maria, sisters, then there's you and me, we're married,  
so that makes Maria's children our niece and nephew, and even though her son is  
biologically your son, he is also your nephew.Oh, Inever thought of it that way, Bobby said, obviously not impressed, zipping up  
his suitcase. C'mon, we need to get to the airport.

Bobby picked up their luggage and went out to the car.

They drove to the airport in silence.

Bobby didn't want Anita to know how nervous he was. He hadn't seen Sam in six years.  
His baby wasn't a baby anymore, and he'd missed the greater part of his childhood.

...

When Julia arrived in Pine Valley that night, she didn't go to Isabella's like she'd  
planned to.

She slipped into the Wildwind grounds unnoticed.

She entered the mausoleum silently, but the big door let out a deafening screech as she  
opened it.

She looked around, looking for that certain name.

Julia walked to the back of the mausoleum when she found what she was looking for.

She lifted her hand and traced the letters.

Maria Santos Gray, Julia read aloud, November 27, 1967, to August 12, 1997.

Julia stepped away from the wall.

Is it a coincidence that I came back on this day? Julia asked.

She turned and left the mausoleum.

The wind had turned the August night cool as she walked back to the cab that was  
waiting for her.

she heard someone ask.

Julia whirled around to see who it was.

she said, relieved.

What are you doing here? he asked her.

Same as you, I'm guessing.Visiting Maria.It's been six years, Edmund. Maria's been gone for six years.I know, Julia, he said as she started to tremble. He pulled her close to him and held her  
as she cried.

...

Gillian drove down the highway in silence. The only sounds were the hum of the tires  
and the steady sound of Katalin's breathing. Shortly after they'd left, Kata had fallen  
asleep in her carseat.

Gillian turned on the radio, looking for a good country station playing a song with a  
sadder story than her own.

You say that when he does come home  
He only puts you down  
Well you ask me my opinion  
What I think you should do  
As far as I can see  
There's just one road left for you  
Don't give up cause its hard to hear  
You'll never know your strength  
Until you face your fear

You go girl cause you know girl  
Where he is ain't where you belong  
If you stay girl, you will pay girl  
He's only gonna do you wrong  
You can try girl, but you'll cry girl  
Cause he ain't work the holding on  
So you go girl, cause you're already gone

Gillian switched the station. That was not what she needed right then. She needed to  
take her mind off her problems, not hear a song that only made her think more.

She drove down the highway lost in the songs on the radio.

Pine Valley, five miles, she read the sign hanging from the overpass. After four years  
of being away, she was being drawn back there.

She didn't see the brake lights in front of her until it was too late. She slammed on her  
breaks. She heard the squeals of tires and the clash of metal.

Gillian could hear the terror in her daughter's voice.


	2. Chapter 2

A Place In the Sun

2

Garlan watched as she gathered what little things she'd acquired on the island for the past six years.

"Carmen, do you really have to go? You have been the best company I've ever had here," he said, making her stop for a moment.

"Garlan, every day, bits of memories are coming back, more and more. I know I'm on the edge of a break through. I'm almost sure that this Pine Valley, the name of this town that keeps going through my head, that's where I'm from. I have a life out there, somewhere, there's people who care about me. Even if I can't remember them, maybe someone will remember me."

"But nothing will be the same. Six years is a long time, Carmen. Things change in that amount of time. Your family and friends, they are past the grief of losing you by now. If you have children-"

"If I have children, they've missed having their mother for six years, and I don't want it to be any longer."

They walked out onto the beach, toward a rickety old boat.

"I will miss you," Garlan said with tears in his eyes.

"I'll miss you, too," she said, giving the old man a kiss on the cheek. As she got onto the boat she turned around and said, "Maybe someday another pretty young girl will wash up on your shore."

He waved to her as she floated away across the bay towards the mainland.

...

Gillian woke up to see the blue lights of the police cars flashing and the red lights from the ambulances.

She was lying on a stretcher with a group of EMTs hovered over her.

She tried to get up, but one of the guys held her down gently.

"Kata, where's my daughter Katalin?" she asked.

"I'll go find out, can you describe her for me?" he asked.

"She's four years old, light brown long hair, it's kind of in ringlets, she's a beautiful child."

"I'll go look for her and I'll be right back, okay?"

Gillian nodded and closed her eyes.

They loaded Gillian up into the ambulance shortly after. Right before they were about to close the doors, the guy who had talked to her earlier jumped in.

"How is she? Is she alright?" Gillian asked frantically.

"She's fine. A few cuts and scrapes from glass, but because you had her fastened into her carseat, she wasn't hurt badly at all. She'll be taken to the hospital soon, but we want to get all the people that were more seriously injured on their way to the hospital first."

"Thank you," Gillian said weakly, closing her eyes again.

...

Their lives had never been the same since Raquel had come to Pine Valley five years earlier.

Hayley sat at the bar of SOS; it was five a.m. She entertained the idea of the vodka in front of her, spinning the glass between her hands.

"This early and I'm already feeling this bad," she said to herself.

Max had ruined her relationship with Mateo. Yeah, they were married, for real, now, but it wasn't the same.

In July '99, Hayley had found out she was pregnant, but not with Mateo's child. Figures that her one night stand with Ryan produced the child that she hadn't been able to conceive with Mateo.

Well, Max couldn't grasp the whole situation; he felt that Hayley was trying to replace him in Mateo's life, he didn't understand that the baby wasn't even Mateo's child.

One night before Mateo got home, Max pulled a gun on Hayley and shot her, and then was going to turn it on himself when Mateo got home and wrestled it away from him. Hayley ended up losing the baby, and Max was sent to a home for emotionally disturbed children.

Raquel had long backed off of Mateo by this time and they were just friends. Hayley and Mateo remarried in a small ceremony in the Wildwind chapel.

They were eventually able to have children. In November '00, they welcomed Liliana and Christopher Santos into the world. When they'd talked about the fact that twins run in Hayley's family before, it had been such a happy thing. But that was before a train of psychos had come into their lives. That night when they'd talked about how wonderful it'd be to have twins, that was the night that Jim hooked the carbon monoxide up to the vents in their apartment. Then they had to deal with the wrath of Lee Hawkins, and now they'd dealt with Mateo's own little psycho, as Hayley liked to think of him as. She never said it straight to Mateo's face that Max was a psycho, but it was what she thought. The child scared her just as much as Tanner, Jim, and Lee had.

But now they had their own twins. Liliana and Christopher were going on three years old. But the joy of having their own children just wasn't there. Sure, both her and Mateo loved Liliana and Christopher with everything they had, but it wasn't like they were sharing their experience of being parents.

But Max was coming home soon. Just over a week, he'd be back here with Raquel. Maybe he'd changed, maybe he hadn't. Hayley didn't really want to find out, she never wanted to see that child again. Because of him, everything she'd ever wanted in her life was gone.

"So, you want me to drink you?" Hayley asked the vodka. 

She grabbed her purse and walked out of SOS, leaving the glass on the bar.

...

Julia watched from the window that morning as Sam and Maddie played outside.

She had stayed at Wildwind the night before, she was sure that Mama was worried about her since she'd never called.

She couldn't get over how much Madeline looked like Maria. Maddie had grown up so much since she'd last seen her; of course, that had been when she'd come to Pine Valley for Maria's memorial service. Six years ago.

She heard the cab beep it's horn outside, signaling that it had arrived to take her to Isabella's.

She went outside and got in the car and rode silently to her destination.

She thanked the driver and paid him and walked up to her mother's apartment.

Julia knocked on the door.

"Julia!" Rosa exclaimed when she opened it. She hugged her sister and yelled back into the apartment, "Mama! Julia's here!"

"Mi hija," Isabella said, smiling. Julia and Isabella hugged and they went over and sat down on the couch.

"I'm sorry to have to run as soon as you get here, Julia, but I'm meeting Tim for lunch," Rosa explained.

"It's okay, you go have fun," Julia said.

After Rosa had left, Julia asked her mother, "So, Rosa's seeing Tim Dillon?"

"Yes, they have some classes together at PVU and they have been spending a lot of time together," Isabella said, smiling.

"That's sweet," Julia said.

"I'm sorry, Julia," Isabella took her daughter's hand.

Julia could tell by her mother's voice what she was referring to.

"Mama, it's okay, it was three years ago."

"No, I should have been there for you. Jackson told us and I told him that I needed to go to you, but he would not let me. I thought that maybe Grady's men had found you and they had killed Noah and that they might go after you next."

"No, mama, I was okay, no one was after us, it was an accident. But it wasn't safe back then for us to have contact. It is now, though. It's safe for me to be here now."

"Yes, mi hija, I'm very happy that you can come back now. So much has changed, you have so much to catch up on. Did I tell you, Mateo and Hayley have two children now, Liliana and Christopher, they will be three years old in November, isn't that wonderful? And Maddie and Sam, they have grown up so much, Maddie, she favors-"

"Yes, mama, I noticed, she looks so much like Maria," Julia said. "I have some things I need to do before tomorrow, okay? I'll see you tomorrow night, at six, right? At the Valley Inn?"

"At the Valley Inn at six, yes, your sisters and your brother will be there."

"Then I'll see you then."

Julia left the apartment.

...

When Gillian woke up again, she was in a room at the Pine Valley Hospital.

Jake was looking at her chart.

"Jake?" she asked softly.

"Hey, there, Gillian, how are you feeling?" he asked.

"Kinda fuzzy," she replied.

"Well, that's from the anesthesia, you had internal bleeding so we had to operate to repair the damage."

"Am I going to be okay?"

"Looks like."

"Where's Katalin?"

"Hmm? Who's that?"

"My daughter, Katalin, they said they'd be bringing her here, she wasn't hurt badly, so she'd be along later. Can you bring her to me?"

"I'll go see if I can find her, Gillian," he was shocked by the news that Gillian had a daughter.

Jake left the room.

Gillian looked around, staring at the machines bleeping and the lights blinking. What if Ryan found out about Kata now? she thought. This wasn't how she wanted him to know. She wasn't sure of how she'd ever tell him.

Gillian looked up at the window; Ryan was staring back at her.

She motioned to him to come in.

"Hey there, princess," he said as he came in.

"Hi Ryan," she smiled.

"Long time, no see. Jake called to tell me you were in accident. How are you?"

"I've been better. Jake says I'll be okay."

"That's good."

Even though they hadn't seen each other in so long, that tenseness between them ever since he'd decided that they couldn't be together anymore was still there.

Jake was at the window now. He pointed down to signal that he had Kata with him. He left the window so Ryan couldn't see them.

"Ryan, I really need to rest, maybe we can see each other again, when I'm feeling better."

"Okay, that's fine, you should rest."

Ryan gave her one last look and left the room.

When Jake saw that Ryan was gone, he came back in with Katalin.

"Mommy!" Katalin ran over to Gillian.

"Be careful," Jake warned her.

Kata stopped short of jumping up on the bed.

"Are you okay, Mommy? Doctor, is she okay?"

"She should be fine, sweetie, and you can call me Jake, I'm an old friend of your mommy's."

"Thank you for taking care of her, Jake," Katalin said.

"She's precious, Gillian," Jake said.

Gillian smiled up at him.

After fussing over her mother, Katalin sat down on the floor and began to amuse herself.

"I figured I should just ask you this straight out, is she Ryan's daughter?" Jake asked.

Gillian nodded, "Yes."

"And he doesn't know?"

Gillian shook her head.

"I figured, that's why I didn't bring her in here when he was here."

"Thank you."

"Well, I've got to get her back to her room and get back to work, so I'll check in on you later, okay?"

"Thanks, Jake."

Jake told Katalin it was time to go.

"Goodbye, Mommy, I love you," Katalin said, blowing Gillian a kiss.

"I love you, too, Kata."

...

Carmen stepped off the plane into the Pine Valley Airport.

She was instantly hit with a feeling that she had been there before.

"Maybe I'm in the right place," she thought to herself.

She went out to the street and got a cab.

"Valley Inn," she said without a second thought.


	3. Chapter 3

A Place In the Sun

3

Ryan got ready for work that evening at his apartment.

"So, how did your visit with Gillian go earlier?" Tracy asked.

Ryan could hear the resentment in her voice. "It was fine, she wasn't feeling all that great, so I only saw her for a few minutes."

Tracy and Ryan had been together for quite a while now, almost two years. Tracy knew about Gillian. She knew why Ryan had left her and why he was hesitant to start another relationship after her. It didn't matter most of the time, since Ryan generally avoided the subject of Gillian if he ever could, but she really resented Gillian. Gillian held Ryan's heart, and she always would, Ryan just wouldn't admit it, at least not to anyone else. But others saw it. Tracy saw it, she saw whenever her name was mentioned, as few times as that was now, he'd act different, lost in memories of Gillian.

"She's going to be okay?" Tracy asked.

"Yeah, she said that Jake said that she should be fine," Ryan seemed disinterested in the conversation. "I need to get to the club, I'll see you later tonight, okay?"

"Okay," Tracy sorta pouted. She didn't like it one bit that Gillian was back in town.

Ryan kissed her on the top of her head and left for SOS.

... 

Jake sat on the end of Gillian's bed at the hospital.

"So, what are you doing back here in Pine Valley?" he asked.

"I really don't know, Jake, somehow, I ended up heading this way. I had to get us away from where we were, so I just started driving, and I ended up coming back here. I don't know why. It's not like there's really a reason for me to come here."

"Of course there's a reason for you to come here, Gillian. You have family here, Dimitri and Eugenia, and you have friends here, me, Raquel, Hayley and Mateo, Ryan. You're always welcome here."

"Thank you, Jake. I just knew I couldn't stay where we were, it wasn't good for Kata, and I found myself coming back here."

"What was wrong? What happened?"

"No, Jake, it's in the past, it's over with. I'm ready to start all over again, again."

"Well, I'm glad you decided to do that here. Oh, here, they took this off of you when you were brought in," Jake handed her a necklace.

Gillian smiled as she took it. It was the necklace with St. Christopher's medal that Ryan had given her on their anniversary. She'd worn it every day since then; she'd never taken it off. Not if she could help it. She'd never told Ray the significance of the necklace; he'd have never allowed her to keep it if he had. She told him that her father gave it to her. She hadn't told him what a jerk her father was and that he'd gambled away the family fortune and that she hadn't talked to him in years.

"Thank you, Jake."

"You better get some rest, okay, so I'm going to go."

"Could you bring Katalin in later for me?"

"Oh, I needed to talk to you about her. We really can't keep her here, she's fine, would you like me to call Dimitri and have him take her to Wildwind? Maddie's six now, so she can play with Katalin."

"Jake, Dimitri doesn't know about Katalin, no one does."

"You have to tell someone about her."

"I told you."

"I can't take her with me. I'm on all night. I'll talk to Dimitri for you if you want, I'm sure it would be kind of awkward telling him that you've had a daughter for almost four years and never told any of your family."

"I'd appreciate that, Jake. Make sure that she's safe, and I don't want Ryan to find out about her until I'm ready to tell him myself, okay?"

"I promise, I won't tell Ryan and I'll make sure that Dimitri understands that, too. Now, you rest, I'll make sure she's taken care of."

"Thank you, Jake."

Jake smiled at her before turning and leaving the room.

... 

Julia came in and sat down at the bar at SOS.

Ryan noticed this beautiful young woman that he'd never met before and went over to her.

"What can I get you?" he asked her.

Julia jumped; she hadn't seen him come up to her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," Ryan apologized.

"Oh, no, it's okay," Julia laughed.

"So, you want something to drink?" he asked again.

"Um, just some water, I'm waiting for someone, he should be here soon."

Ryan set a glass of water down in front of her. "So, are you new to Pine Valley?"

"I'm from here, actually, well, I lived here for a few years, but I moved away six years ago, my family still lives here. It's kind of complicated, really. I'm waiting for my brother right now."

"Well, welcome back to Pine Valley. I'm Ryan Lavery."

"It's nice to meet you, Ryan, I'm Julia Santos."

"Wow, you're Mateo's sister? You're waiting for him?"

"Yeah, it is his club, so I figured I'd be able to catch him here."

"He should be in soon. He's usually in around seven thirty or so, he usually tucks the kids into bed before he or Hayley comes over."

"Aw, I guess I'm too late to meet my little niece and nephew tonight. Mama told me about Liliana and Christopher. I hate that I've missed so much."

"Liliana and Christopher are adorable, they're great kids. Hayley and Mateo are lucky to have them. I'm sure you'll get to meet them soon."

"Yeah, Mama's having this sort of family reunion thing tomorrow night at the Valley Inn, she rented out the whole restaurant for our family."

"Hey Ryan, thanks for holding things down till I could get here," Mateo said coming up to the bar.

"No problem, I was just talking to your sister, here," Ryan said.

"Oh, Julia, geez, I didn't even recognize you at first, you look great!" Mateo ran around to the other side of the bar and gave his sister a hug. "How are you? When did you get in? Mama was worried last night when you didn't show up at her place."

"I'm good. I got in last night, but, well, you know, I had to go visit Maria, yesterday was..."

"Yeah, I know."

"So, Edmund saw me when I was about to leave the mausoleum and he got me to stay there for the night since it was late by then. I went to see Mama this morning, though, and I saw Rosa for a second, she was on her way out to meet with Tim."

"Rosa and Tim have gotten pretty close," Mateo pointed over to a table in the corner where Rosa and Tim were seated with their heads together. "Neither of them noticed your or me come in."

"Doesn't that make you feel like yelling something really obnoxious over to your littlest sister?" Julia asked, laughing.

"Yeah, it does," Mateo smiled. "You want to?"

Julia nodded.

Mateo and Julia snuck over to Rosa and Tim and stood beside their little sister, one of them on each side.

"Rosabelle, shouldn't you be at home, doing your schoolwork?" Julia asked in a sugary sweet voice.

"Yeah, Rosabelle, it's a school night, isn't it? Shouldn't you be asleep by now?" Mateo added.

"This is why I'm glad I'm the oldest," Tim said, laughing.

"Cute, very cute," Rosa said, not amused. "First off, classes at PVU don't start for another two weeks, so NO, it's not a school night! Second, could you two leave us alone?"

"Is that any way to speak to your sister who you haven't seen in SIX years?" Julia asked, twirling Rosa's hair.

"Would you quit it?" Rosa practically yelled, swatting at Julia's hands in her hair.

"Okay, I'll just go back over there to the bar..." Julia started to walk away.

"No, no, Julia, stay," Rosa pleaded, pulling her back to the table.

"Actually, Rosa, I've really got to get going, I still haven't checked into the hotel since I spent last night at Wildwind," Julia said.

"Why are you staying there? You can stay with me and Mama."

"I know, Mama's going to have something to say about it, but really, I need to be alone right now, I need time to adjust to coming back here, and that's really kind of hard with her hovering over me like I'm sure she'd do if I was at home."

"Okay, well, then I'll see you tomorrow night."

"I'll see you then," Julia said. "Hey, have you heard from Anita and Bobby? They were supposed to be in last night, too, weren't they?"

"Yeah, they were, but we haven't heard from them, they know to be at the Valley Inn at seven tomorrow night, so I'm sure we'll see them then," Rosa told her sister.

"Well, I have to be going, bye Rosa, Tim, bye Mateo," Julia said, before turning and leaving SOS.

... 

It was much later that night when Dimitri came to the hospital to see Gillian and to get Katalin.

"How are you doing?" he asked, coming over to her. Katalin was sitting on the end of the bed.

"Better," Gillian was tired of being asked how she was. 

"So, this is Katalin?" he asked, gesturing towards her.

"Yes, Katalin, come here, sweetie," Gillian said. "Kata, this is Dimitri, I've told you about him before, you remember?"

"Yes, Mommy, I remember," Kata said, shyly.

"Kata, Dimitri is going to take you to his home, Wildwind, and you are going to stay with him for a few days while I get better, okay? His niece, Maddie, she's just a little bit older than you, so you'll have someone to play with there."

Katalin just nodded.

"Is that okay with you?" Dimitri asked her.

"I'd rather stay here with Mommy," she whispered.

"I know you do, Kata, but I'll be better in no time and we'll be back together. I'm sure that Dimitri will bring you here to spend some time with me tomorrow, if you can stop having fun with Maddie long enough to come visit."

"I'm sure I can, Mommy. I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too, baby," Gillian said, kissing the top of Kata's head.

"You'll take good care of her, won't you, Dimi? Did Jake tell you about everything?"

"I won't tell you know who about her, if that's what you mean. I want to thank you for trusting me with her."

"No, I want to thank you for taking care of her. She's the most important thing in my life and if anything happened to her, I don't know what I'd do."

"I understand, I'll take good care of her," Dimitri promised. "Katalin, are you ready to go?"

Katalin nodded reluctantly and took Dimitri's hand.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Gillian," he said.

"Good night, Mommy," Katalin said, blowing Gillian a kiss.

"Good night, Kata," Gillian hated to see her go.

Gillian had a hard time falling asleep after Katalin was gone. She couldn't help but worry about her; she didn't want her to find out about her father in the wrong way. Of course her worst fear was that Ray had found where they'd gone and he could be after her. For some reason, he always wanted to hurt Gillian, and he knew that the best way was through her daughter.

... 

Carmen stared out the window of her hotel room.

She had stayed in her room all day. Now that she was here, she felt scared about what she might find.

What if her past wasn't what she had dreamed it might be? What if she wasn't liked here? What if no one remembered her?

What if this wasn't even where she was from? Then she'd be back to where she started, six years ago. This is what everything had worked up to. She was here in Pine Valley because of what little she had remembered.

Garlan had told her it was a plane crash, a plane crash in which there were only four survivors; he'd picked up that information from a trip onto the mainland shortly after she'd washed up on his shore. Other than that, that's all she knew of how she ended up on that island six years ago.

She couldn't remember anything. But, she was here to remember, she was here to regain her life.


	4. Chapter 4

A Place In the Sun

4

Dimitri held onto Madeline as she went across the monkey bars on the playground at the park.

"C'mon, Katalin, your turn next," Maddie called to her.

Katalin didn't answer her; she just sat where she was on the edge of the sandbox.

Maddie jumped down from the platform and ran over to her.

"Don't you want to play?" she asked Kata.

"No," Kata said, shortly.

"Do you miss your mommy already?" Maddie asked.

Kata nodded, holding back tears.

"But your mommy's okay and you will be back with her soon," Maddie said.

"I still miss her."

"Well, I miss my mommy, too, even though I don't remember her."

"Where is your mommy?" Katalin asked.

"My mommy's in heaven."

"Why?"

"When I was really little, we were on a plane that crashed. Me and my daddy made it out, but my mommy didn't."

"That's sad, Maddie," Katalin said quietly.

"Yeah, I've missed not having her, but I don't really remember her, except for what's in the pictures."

Katalin just sat there.

"Do you want to come play with Sam and me?" Maddie held out her hand to Kata.

Kata took it hesitantly and followed Maddie over to the swings.

...   
"Jake, I'm going stir-crazy in here!" Gillian said the next afternoon.

"I know you are," Jake said. "That's why I've arranged to have Dimitri take you home.

"Really?"

"Yes, really," Jake told her. "As long as you promise to stay in bed, and rest."

"Anything, as long as I'm with Kata again, I can't stand being away from her."

"Gillian, it's been less than a day!"

"She's never been with anyone but me, ever. I've cared for her ever since she was born."

"Wow, well, you'll be together again soon, I promise."

"Thank you, Jake."

...   
Bobby got ready in his and Anita's room at the Valley Inn that evening, getting ready to go down to the restaurant to meet with Anita's family.

Anita waltzed back into their room barely an hour before they were supposed to be downstairs. She had been at the pool.

"You had better go get a shower, your Mama will be disappointed if we're late, we're probably already on her bad side for not coming to see her yet," Bobby told her.

"I'm going, I'm going," she told him, turning on the shower.

"You better make it quick. I know how long it takes you to get ready!"

"Lay off, Bobby. I'm working on it," she said, as she got in the shower.

They kept talking while she was showering.

"If I didn't know better, I'd think you were delaying going down there," Bobby said to Anita.

"No, I'm not, silly," she said coming out dressed only in a towel.

"You better get dressed."

"You are sure short with me today. What's wrong, baby?"

"You should know what's wrong."

"Still worried about Sammy?"

"What do you expect?"

"It's not that big of a deal, Bobby, don't worry over it."

"It's not a big deal? He's my son!"

"You told me yourself that he's Edmund's son."

"He is! But he's a part of me, too, and I haven't seen him in six years!"

"Bobby, it'll be okay," Anita gave him a hug and held him to her. "I'm nervous, too, if that makes you feel any better."

"What have you got to be nervous about?"

"My family! Bobby, it's been six years for me, too. Sure, I've seen Rosa and Mateo and Mama when they came to visit us in Chicago and for the wedding, but I haven't seen Julia in six years."

"Everything will be okay."

"Exactly what I've been telling you?"

Bobby just smiled at her and helped her dress.

...   
"Are you ready, Hayley?" Mateo asked her.

"I've been ready, Mateo!" she yelled from the bedroom, running into the living room with one kid under each arm. "It's these munchkins that are taking forever!"

"Uh, Lili, your sandals are on the wrong feet," Mateo said to his daughter.

Liliana laughed and plopped down on the floor to fix it.

"Are my shoes right, Mommy?" Christopher asked.

"Yes, they are, sweetie," Hayley told him.

"Where are we going, again?" Liliana asked.

Mateo bent down to her and explained, "We're going to the fancy restaurant to meet with your abuela, your tía Rosa, your tío Edmund and primos Sam and Maddie, and you'll get to meet your tía Julia and your tía Anita and tío Bobby."

"Oh," Lili said, concentrating on her shoes.

"Why?" Christopher asked.

"Well, because Julia and Anita and Bobby haven't been here in Pine Valley in a long time, way before the two of you were born. So, your abuela is having a party tonight, and we all have to come," Mateo explained.

"Okay, are you two ready?" Hayley asked the kids.

They both nodded enthusiastically.

"Okay, then let's get out to the car!" Hayley herded the children out.

"Are you okay?" Mateo asked her as they reached the door.

"Yeah, honey, I'm fine."

"You look so tired, and distant a little."

"Mateo, I've been at SOS late every night this week, that's why I'm tired. I'm fine, I swear."

Hayley ran off after the kids, leaving Mateo standing there. He locked the door and followed.

... 

Carmen paced around her hotel room.

"This has to be the place, it just has to," she said to herself for the hundredth time. "Now I've just got to decided what to do..."

She bit on her fingernail trying to decide.

"I just wish I had someone to talk to...someone who could help me...I want to find out everything about me, I can't remember anything past the last six years...but I'm scared..." she sat down on the bed. "This is so frustrating!"

Carmen quickly changed into her swimsuit and grabbed a towel.

She bolted out of her room; flinging open the door and pulling it slammed shut.

She barreled down the hall, nearly running into a young couple on their way to the elevator.

"I'm sorry!" she yelled back to them as she continued down the hall.

"Wow, she sure was in a hurry," Anita said to Bobby.

"We should be too, we have exactly two minutes to get down to the restaurant," Bobby took Anita's hand as they stepped into the elevator.


	5. Chapter 5

A Place In the Sun

5

"You can do this, Julia," Julia said to herself in the mirror. "It's just your family! No big thing! You've already seen Mateo and Anita and your mother, there's not many more to go. You can do it." 

Julia didn't know why she was feeling so nervous about going. It really wasn't that big of a deal! 

She looked in the mirror and smoothed her skirt. 

"It's just one night, dinner, it's just your family," she assured herself again before leaving her room. 

... 

Rosa tried to calm down her mother who was frantic over making sure everything was just right. 

"Mama, do you really think that Julia and Anita care which direction the flowers are facing? They look great," Rosa told her. 

"Really, Mrs. Santos, everything looks really good, you've done a great job getting all of this together," Tim assured her. 

"Thank you, both of you," Isabella said. 

Rosa could tell that her mother was very excited. 

"I just want everything to be absolutely perfect," she said. "Everyone will be here soon!" 

"Mama?" Anita said, coming into the Valley Inn Dining Room. 

"Anita!" Isabella ran over to her daughter and gave her a big hug. 

"Mama, you look great!" Anita said. 

"Thank you!" Isabella said smiling. "Hello Bobby." 

"It's good to see you, Mrs. Santos," he said sorta quietly. 

Bobby backed away from the group a bit as Anita and Isabella talked. 

Julia was the next to arrive. She was greeted by her mother and sisters just before Mateo and Hayley arrived with Liliana and Christopher. Mateo and Hayley introduced the children to their aunts and uncle. 

"Is everyone here?" Julia asked her mother. 

"Almost!" Isabella said, still very excited. "Edmund is bringing Sam and Maddie, they should be here very soon!" 

"Mrs. Santos, a call for you," a waiter said, motioning for her to come and take the call. 

Isabella took the call and came back to her children a few moments later. 

"That was Edmund, he had an emergency at Tempo and has to have someone else bring the children over so they'll be a few minutes late." 

Bobby felt a little relieved that he still had a few minutes. He was nervous beyond explanation about seeing Sam. 

Isabella herded her crowd over to a large table set up in the center of the room and called the waiters to bring out the food. 

... 

Gillian winced as Dimitri laid her in her bed at Wildwind. 

"Are you in pain?" Dimitri asked her. 

Gillian laughed a little and told him, "Barely any compared to two days ago." 

"Well, I guess that's good!" 

"So, where's Katalin?" 

"She's downstairs with Peggy making up some surprise for you. But, I want to talk to you a bit first." 

"I figured that," Gillian said, looking down at her hands. 

"You have nothing to be ashamed of," he assured his cousin. 

"But you still want an explanation? About Katalin and about what I've been doing for the past four years?" 

"Well, yes, that would be nice." 

"What did Jake tell you?" 

"Not much. He told me that you were in an accident and that you were in the hospital and that you had a daughter. This, of course, was a shock to me. He told me that you wanted me to take care of her while you couldn't, I agreed and came to get Katalin. I didn't ask him anything because it wasn't his place to tell me anything about her or you, that's up to you." 

"Yes, it is up to me. I'm guessing that you're wondering who her father is?" 

"Give me three guesses and the first two don't count," Dimitri laughed. 

"What?" Gillian asked, confused. 

"She's Ryan's daughter," he told her. 

"How, how did you know?" she asked, puzzled. 

"For one, she looks a lot like him. She really looks nothing like you, Gillian. She's got his coloring. Second, she has his presence. She is just so much like him!" 

"Yeah, she is a lot like Ryan," Gillian smiled. 

"So, I'm right?" he asked. 

Gillian nodded. 

"He doesn't know, does he?" 

Gillian shook her head, "So far, only you and Jake know." 

"You know you have to tell Ryan." 

"Yes, I know, but I can't," Gillian sunk down in her pillows. 

"Why not? C'mon, Gillian, he is her father." 

"He'll hate me for it!" 

"He'd be thrilled that he has a child! A child is such a precious gift." 

"A gift I've denied him for nearly four years! No, he'll hate me for never telling him. It's best that I just hurry up and get better and get out of town with Katalin, I never should've come back." 

"Gillian, you have to tell him." 

"I KNOW I have to tell him, but I really don't want to. I mean, I want Kata to have a father, and I know that Ryan would be the perfect father, but...agh! It's all just so complicated." 

"It's not, Gillian, it's really quite simple." 

"Believe me, Dimi, it's not, nothing with Ryan is ever simple." 


	6. Chapter 6

A Place In the Sun

6 

The food had come and they were all eating and talking. Bobby was sitting across from Hayley and had been talking to her, but always keeping an eye on the door, watching for Sam to come in. 

"Bobby, do you think I don't notice how you keep looking over there?" Hayley asked after about the fifth time he'd looked. 

"Oh, sorry," he mumbled, moving his food around the plate. 

"Sam, right?" she guessed. 

"Well, yeah, but what can anybody expect? I haven't seen him in six years!" 

"I know it must be hard for you, to even think about seeing him." 

Bobby nodded in agreement and looked back at his plate before stealing another glance at the door. 

His glance lingered this time as a beautiful young blond entered, looking around. 

"Who's that?" Bobby asked Hayley. 

"You don't recognize her?" Hayley asked with a laugh. "That's Kelsey, Bobby." 

"Wow, she sure has changed." He hadn't taken his eyes off her as she entered the dining room and walked towards Isabella. 

"Yeah, she has, I've only spoken to her once since she's come back, but she's seems to have grown up a lot while she was away at college." 

"I'll say," Bobby couldn't believe how great she looked. 

"You know, that is Sam that's right behind her," Hayley pointed. 

As soon as Bobby took his eyes off Kelsey, he spotted the boy. He was overcome with emotions he'd forgotten he had for his biological son. 

"Sammy?" he half whispered as he stood up from the table. 

Kelsey looked up from having been talking to Isabella. She smiled at Bobby as she put her hands on Sam's shoulders. Sam looked up at her, like he was asking her a question, she simply nodded and he turned his head back to Bobby. Bobby slowly walked towards the end of the table where they stood, never taking his eyes off the child. When he was about a yard from him, Sammy suddenly ran to him, right into his open arms. The two hugged each other as their whole family watched in awe of the bond the father and son still had after all those years. 

... 

"So complicated," Gillian muttered, turning her head away from Dimitri. 

"It doesn't have to-" Dimitri was cut off but the door to Gillian's room opening. 

"Mommy!" Katalin practically screamed as she peeked around the corner of the door. 

"Kata!" Gillian scooted over a little in the bed to make room for her daughter. Katalin jumped up in the bed and hugged her mommy. 

"I missed you sooooo much Mommy!" Kata said, her eyes widening as she talked. 

"I missed you too, angel," Gillian brushed a curl of golden brown hair out of Katalin's face. "But it wasn't all bad here with Dimitri was it?" 

Kata shook her head, "No, Maddie and me played, we went to the park yesterday, so did Sam. They're not here right now." 

"Yeah, I know, they have something to do with their family, right?" Gillian asked.

"I thought I was part of Maddie's family?" Kata was puzzled. "How come we didn't go?" 

"Well, we are," Dimitri said. "Maddie's daddy is my brother, and I'm you mommy's cousin, so that makes you related somehow to Maddie, but the party that Maddie's at tonight is with her mother's family." 

"Oh," Katalin said, nodding, not really understanding. Then she told Gillian, "Maddie told me about her mommy, she said she's an angel in heaven. She made me feel better because she said that I'm lucky that you are okay." 

Gillian began to tear up at that and pulled Katalin close to her. "We are lucky, baby," she said, rubbing Kata's back. Katalin looked up at Gillian, smiling sweetly. "Dimitri said something about you were making a surprise for me? What is it?" Gillian changed the subject. 

"Oh, yeah! Just one minute!" Katalin held up one finger to illustrate what she said. She hopped off the bed and ran out the door, Gillian could hear her little feet as she ran down the stairs. 

Gillian laughed and smiled at Dimitri. 

It was just a few minutes before they heard her feet again. The soft noise stopped as she slowed down at the door. "Close your eyes Mommy!" they heard Kata call out.

"Okay, they're closed," Gillian promised. 

The door creaked open a few inches and Katalin peered around to make sure her mother was telling her the truth and seeing that she was, she tiptoed over to the bed.

"Hold out your hands!" she told her. Gillian did as she was told. Katalin placed the treat in her hands. "Now, open your eyes!" Katalin giggled. 

Gillian smiled at what Kata had given her. "A cupcake, how sweet Kata," she said. 

"Just like we made at home, Peggy helped me, we decorated every one different, just like we did earlier this summer, see, it has candy prinkles just like you like!" Katalin said proudly. She climbed back into the bed next to her mommy. 

"Yes, just like I like, you did a very good job." 

"Peggy helped a lot." 

"Well, this is very good, Peggy's a better cook than me, this is delicious," Gillian said, licking icing off her lips. 

Katalin giggled again, "You're a good cook, mommy, you make Spaghetti-O's really good!" 

"You know how to cut the lid off a tin can?" Dimitri said with a sarcastic look of being impressed. 

"I have been away from the life of servants and others to cook for me for four years, I've picked up a few skills for self sufficiency!" 

"I'm sure you have, Princess," he said. 

"You'd be amazed." 

... 

A handsome man about in his mid-twenties came into the Valley Inn bar and sat down at a stool. 

"What can I get you?" the guy behind the counter asked. 

"Oh, um, just a water," he said, lost in thought. 

The waiter placed the glass on the counter next to his elbow that was propping up his head. 

After a few minutes of staring blindly into space, he noticed a woman enter and come up to the bar. 

"Martini," she said kind of coldly to the man behind the counter. 

The guy whose thought had been interrupted by the entrance of this woman sat up straight and prepared to approach her. 

When she noticed him about to talk to her and the way he was looking at her, she was taken aback. 

"Can I help you?" she asked. 

"Uhh…" he fumbled. 

Seeing that he was harmless, just nervous, she extended her hand in greeting and said, "Hi, I'm Carmen, and you are?" 

"Tyler, Tyler Barrows," he smiled. 

"Are you new in town?" she asked. 

"Just got in an hour ago! And you?" 

"A couple of nights ago," she sipped her drink. "So, what brings you here?" 

"My brother, I'm looking for him, no one's heard from him in a few months, he has connections to here so thought I might at least give it a try, and you?"

... 

"If you'll excuse me," Julia said politely standing up from the table. 

As she crossed through the bar area of the restaurant on her way to the restrooms, the woman at the bar caught her eye. 

Julia walked slowly up to her, studying her as she approached her. 

Tyler was first to notice her; he discretely pointed her way to Carmen. 

Carmen turned her head to see what he was pointing at. 

The second Carmen's face came into Julia's view, her hand flew to her mouth.

"Maria?" she narrowed her eyes before falling into a dead faint. 

At seeing Julia collapse like that at the sight of her, she grabbed her purse and bolted out of the room, leaving Julia laying on the floor and Tyler calling after her. 


	7. Chapter 7

A Place In the Sun

7

Carmen froze as Julia fell to the floor. Tyler quickly dropped out of his seat to Julia's side, trying to revive her. As Julia's family came out of the dining room to see what the commotion was about, Carmen slipped out almost unnoticed.

The bartender quickly got Tyler a cold napkin that he gently patted on Julia's face. Within a few moments, she opened her eyes, trying to make sense of what just happened. She looked up at the seat where Carmen had been sitting just a few minutes ago.

"Where'd she go?" she asked, looking up at Tyler, into his piercing blue eyes that had a few wisps of his light brown hair falling in them. 

"I don't know," he said, looking around for Carmen as he helped Julia into a chair. 

"Julia, are you all right?" Isabella rushed over to her daughter. 

She forced a smile, "Yes, mama, I'll be right back in, now, go back to the dinner."

Isabella started to protest, but Julia motioned her to go back to their family. 

"I'm Tyler Barrows," he said, pulling a chair up next to her once Isabella left.

"Julia Santos, all them in there," she pointed toward the dining room, "they're my family, my mama and my sisters and brother and their families." 

"So, do you want to clue me in as to what just happened in here?" he asked. 

"Oh, it was nothing really…" she trailed off. 

"Didn't look like nothing, you caught one site of the woman I was having a drink with and collapsed on the floor, you said something before you fainted." 

"No, it was just my imagination, I was mistaken, that's all." 

"You thought she was someone else?" 

Julia nodded, "Yes, she looked like my sister Maria." 

"Where's your sister?" 

"She's been dead for six years, the older two of the children in there, those are her kids." 

"I'm so sorry." 

"Thanks, but it's been a while, six years ago was a total different lifetime for me." 

"A lot's happened?" 

"You could say so," she said, quietly. "So, what did that woman tell you?" 

"Well, she didn't say much, she told me her name's Carmen. And that she just got in town a few nights ago. I just got in today myself." 

"Thank you for your help, Tyler," Julia said, standing up. 

"It was no problem," he gave her a little smile. 

"I'll see you around," Julia was intrigued by this newcomer to Pine Valley. 

"Bye," Tyler gave her a little wave as she headed back to the dining room. 

... 

Gillian sat in bed thumbing through a magazine when Dimitri came in. 

"Are you up for a visitor?" he asked. 

Her eyes brightened at this, "Who? I'm bored out of my wits!" 

"Ryan," he said softly. 

"Dimitri!" she practically screamed, then catching herself she said in a lower voice, "Dimitri, how can you let him in this house while Kata is here? I told you I can't tell him yet!" 

"Ah, don't worry, your child is down with Peggy in the gardens picking some flowers for your room, Peggy knows not to let Katalin up here until I give the okay." 

"You better hope that she keeps Kata away." 

"I promise," he said solemnly. "Now, do you want to see him?" 

"Of course," she said, hugging one of her many pillows. "Let him in, and close the door after you leave." 

Dimitri opened the door and called down the hallway for Ryan to come up. In a few moments, he came in. 

"Hey," Ryan said, quickly glancing at Gillian and then back at the floor. 

"Come over here and sit down," she moved a pillow out of the way for him to sit down on the bed. 

As he sat down, he asked her, "How are you doing?" 

"Better," she smiled. "You?" 

"The same, nothing new," he looked down at his hands. 

"So…" she said, looking around. "Why'd you make a trip all the way to Wildwind?" 

"Just to check on you, I told you, you had me worried." 

"You could have called Dimitri to see how I was." 

"I wanted to see for myself." 

She smiled, taking one of his hands. He slid off the bed, onto his knees on the floor, he could look at her better this way. 

"I've missed you, Princess," he still held onto her hand. 

"I've missed you, too, Ryan," she used her free hand to rub his hand that was holding her other one. 

"You're more beautiful than ever," he said gently. 

"You're just saying that," she rolled her eyes. "I've got cuts and bruises all over, and I haven't touched my hair in days, I'm sure I look awful." 

"Well, then let me help," he said softly, taking a brush from the nightstand. He gently brushed her hair out on her pillow. After he finished he got up to leave. "You need to rest, I should go." 

"No, Ryan, please stay," she said, half asleep already. "Stay until I fall asleep." 

"Um…okay, Princess, if that's what you want, I'll stay," he pulled up the covers for her. She motioned for him to lay down next to her. She snuggled up against him as he hesitantly draped his arm over her. 

... 

Carmen slammed the door to her room after her as she entered. She threw off her shoes and sat down on the bed, taking a small notebook from the bedside table. 

_Day 3: August 15, 2003 _

My first day in "civilization" as Garlan called it. I won't count yesterday or the night before since that was spent travelling and here in my room at the Valley Inn. 

What happened? I haven't a clue. I sat at the bar having a drink with a very attractive young man named Tyler when this woman I've never seen before comes into the room. Tyler saw her looking at me, so I turned around and at this, she whispered something and collapsed to the floor. Does this mean she recognizes me? If so, her reaction, did I frighten her? What would cause her to faint like that?

What was it she said? I know right now I'm full of questions, everything here is so confusing. If I could just remember what she said…It was so quick, I turned around, she said something, then she fainted. Of course this caught me by surprise, I turned and left the bar almost immediately. I heard Tyler call after me, but I kept going. So now I'm up here in my room, writing an account of my day as I've decided to log my discoveries in Pine Valley. This first disturbing incident I believe shows hope that this may be where I belong, that Pine Valley is where I am from.

Carmen returned the notebook to its location and went to the window. Silently she stared out at the lights of the city below. 

... 

Location: Pine Cone Motel, seedy side of Pine Valley 

"One room," a man said as he approached the front desk. 

"How long will you be staying with us, sir?" the woman asked. 

"Not sure, I plan on sticking around for a while." 

"Ok, name?" 

"R. J. Conley." 


	8. Chapter 8

A Place In the Sun

8 

It was later that night, everyone had gone "home", Isabella back to her apartment, Rosa with her, Hayley and Mateo had taken their children home, Julia, Anita, and Bobby returned to their rooms at the hotel, and Kelsey took Sam and Maddie back to Wildwind. 

Maddie came into Wildwind as hyper as could be. "Daddy! Daddy! You home?" she called through the house. She ran up to Edmund's office where he was seated at his desk looking over Tempo business. "Daddy! You should've been there!" 

"Maddie, you know that I had to go into Tempo at the last minute." 

"I know Daddy! But still!" 

"Well then, tell me about it," he said, sitting Maddie up on his lap. 

"It was so fun for us all to be together! I got to eat with Liliana and Christopher, they're so cute! And I got to meet my Aunt Julia, I like her! She told me to give you a hug for her," she gave Edmund a hug. 

"Thank you, sweetie, for passing along that hug. Now, time for bed, okay?" 

She nodded, "Will you tell me a story about my Aunt Julia as a bedtime story?" 

Edmund laughed, "Sure, Maddie." 

He followed her to her room and waited while she got ready for bed. 

"Ok, ready!" she snuggled under her covers. 

"Okay, now, remember, this was a true story!" he smiled. 

Maddie nodded. 

"Okay, here goes. Your mommy and I, we were mad at each other. Sammy was just a baby and we didn't know that you were going to be born yet. Your mommy and I were sorta mad at each other, for reasons that are impossible to understand. Your Aunt Julia, she knew how much your mommy and I really loved each other and she and your Uncle Noah, they set up a plan to trick us!" 

"Uncle Noah?" 

"Yes, your Aunt Julia was married, but her husband went to heaven, like mommy, a few years ago."

"Oh," Maddie said quietly. "Okay, come on, I want to hear about their plan!"

"Noah and Julia knew that they had to do something to make me and mommy make up. So, Noah got me into the wine cellar, talking about some of the wines. Then your Aunt Julia, she convinced your mommy to come down there. Noah and Julia quickly left the wine cellar and locked the door, with me and mommy still in there!"

Maddie giggled at the thought of these grown-ups locking each other in rooms. 

"Well, it worked, mommy and I talked and worked things out. Julia and Noah helped us find each other again, and we didn't know it then, but you were on the way." 

"So everything turned out happy?"

"Yep, it sure did. Well, except that Noah and Julia had to go away, but your mommy and I were happy," he lied to Maddie. She didn't need to know about the switched paternity results and all of that.

"Thank you," Maddie said with droopy eyes. "Goodnight, Daddy." 

"Goodnight Angel," he patted her on the head and turned out the light. 

... 

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" Anita asked Bobby after they'd gotten up to their room. 

He sat down on the bed and admitted, "No, things went pretty good." 

"Sam seemed happy to see you."

"He's a good kid." 

"I guess Kelsey had talked to him about you." 

"Yeah, Kelsey…" he trailed off. 

"Earth to Bobby! What little world are you off in?" Anita asked, he was staring off into space. 

"Oh, sorry, nothing, I'm just tired, it's been a long day." 

"Well, then, ready for bed?" 

"Yeah…" 

She sat on his lap and started to unbutton his shirt, placing a delicate kiss on his lips. He pushed her away and stood up. 

"Not now, Anita," he said, running a hand through this longish blond hair. 

"Why not? Usually when you're all tense like this, a little love loosens you up." 

"Could you just give me some space?" 

"I'm sorry, yes, of course." 

"I'll be back in a while, don't wait up for me," he said, leaving the room. 

Anita stood there in shock that he'd just walked out. 

... 

After Maddie was fast asleep and he'd checked on Sam, who'd insisted on putting himself to bed, Edmund returned to his office to finish his work. 

He hadn't been sitting there five minutes when his door flew open. 

"Edmund, I need someone to talk to, someone that will take this seriously," Julia said, sitting on the edge of his desk. 

Edmund looked up and sat his papers down on the desk in surrender, he figured now he'd never finish what he needed to work on. "Okay, what do you need to talk about?" 

"The strangest thing happened this evening," she was still having trouble comprehending it herself. 

"At the dinner?" 

"Yes," she said, starting to pace next to his desk. 

"And?" 

She suddenly stopped and leaned over his desk. "I saw someone." 

"Someone you knew when you lived here before?" 

"Well, yeah…" she didn't know really how to say she saw someone who looked like his dead wife. 

"Who?" 

"Edmund, this woman I saw, she looked like, well, she really looked a lot like Maria." 

"What? It must've just been someone who resembled her, Julia, you know there's no way your sister could be alive." 

"I don't know…I really thought she was Maria when I saw her, but I guess I was wrong, I mean, what are the odds that she could turn up alive after six years?"

"Pretty slim. Did you get to talk to this woman?" 

"No, the second she turned around, I passed out. That's how much she resembled Maria."

"Julia…" 

"Edmund, I know! I know Maria's gone. But, I thought you should know that there is someone in town now that looks like her, you should be prepared in case you see her around."

"Well, thank you, Julia."

"I've got to get going, it's late." 

"I'll see you soon, you know you're welcome here at any time." 

"Thanks Edmund," she said softly, turning and leaving the room. 

After she had left, he said to himself, "She thought she saw Maria…" He said it in disbelief. "Time sure plays tricks on your mind, doesn't it?" he asked himself.

Never thought I'd be in this place  
It's someone else's life I'm living  
Wish I were living a lie  
The hardest part is when the bough breaks  
Falling down and then forgiving  
You didn't even kiss me goodbye  
I'm choking on the words I didn't get to say  
I pray I get the chance one day

Edmund picked up the picture of Maria that had sat on his desk for the past six years. He smiled at how happy she looked holding Sam and Maddie. Then a tear slowly rolled down his face.

I still run  
I still swing open the door  
I still think you'll be there like before  
Doesn't everybody out there know to never come round  
Somethings a heart won't listen to  
I'm still holding out for you 

Ryan carefully took his arms from around Gillian as she lay sleeping, being careful not to wake her. He mouthed the words "I love you" to her as he backed away from her bed towards the door. 

I can hear you smile in the dark  
I can even feel your breathing  
But daylight chases the ghost  
I see your coat and I fall apart  
To those hints of you I'm clinging  
Now's when I need them most  
I should get up  
Dry my eyes and move ahead  
At least that's what he would have said 

Julia slowly opened the door to her room at the Valley Inn. She dropped her purse on the table and kicked off her shoes, collapsing on the bed. She gathered a pillow in her arms and hugged it to her, burying her face in it. Then she reached over to the nightstand and pulled out two photographs, one of Noah and one of Maria. She held both of these to her chest as her tears continued to fall.

I still run  
I still swing open the door  
I still think you'll be there like before  
Doesn't everybody out there know to never come round  
Somethings a heart won't listen to  
I'm still holding out for you 

Faithfully I trace your name while you sleep  
It's the only true comfort I feel

Edmund entered the mausoleum, heading straight to the back. He held his hand up to Maria's name, then rested his head on his hand, no longer to hold back his tears at all.

I still run  
I still swing open the door  
I still think you'll be there like before  
I still run  
I still swing open the door  
I still think you'll be there like before  
Doesn't everybody out there know to never come round  
Somethings a heart won't listen to  
I'm still holding out for you  
Holding out for you 

... 

A figure slowly moves out of the shadows outside Wildwind. 

As he gazes up at Gillian's window, the moonlight catches his face. 

Ray. 

... 

Lyrics in this chapter are for SHeDAISY's "Still Holding Out for You" from their CD "The Whole SHeBANG." I got the lyrics from this page: http/ 


	9. Chapter 9

A Place In the Sun

9 

"Kata, could you bring me the phone?" Gillian asked one morning a few weeks later, sitting cross-legged on her bed at Wildwind. 

"Ok Mommy!" Katalin ran off to retrieve the phone in the hall, coming back a few moments later climbing up on the bed and handing the phone to Gillian. 

"Thank you, Kata, now, could you please go gather your things into your bag?" 

"Why, Mommy?" Kata's face crinkled up. "We're not going back, are we?" 

"No, baby, we're never going back there."

"Then why are we going?"

"We're just going to get a place of our own." 

"Oh.." Kata went to get together her clothes. 

Gillian quickly dialed the number. 

"Hello?" 

"Hello, Mrs. Fargate, this is Gillian Andrassy, I was wondering if you have any rooms available," Gillian said. 

"Gillian! Gillian, how long have you been back?" Myrtle asked. 

"About a month, I've been staying at Wildwind, but I really need to get a place of my own."

"Of course I have a room for you, when do you need it?" 

"Can we move in today?"

"We?"

"I'll explain when I get there." 

"Then by all means, come right away!" 

"Thank you, Mrs. Fargate." 

"I've missed you being around, Gillian, see you soon." 

Gillian hung up the phone and went to pack her own things. 

"What are you doing?" she jumped as Dimitri said this, coming into her room. 

"Packing," she said, placing a pile of shirts in her suitcase. 

"To go where?" 

"I'm getting a room at Myrtle's." 

"You can stay here as long as you'd like, Gillian."

"I'd really rather not stay here, too much traffic."

"Don't be a stranger."

"I won't," she said, giving her cousin a hug. Kata stood at the open doorway. "Are you ready, sweetie?" 

Katalin nodded, "I'm all packed, Mommy." 

Gillian quickly stuffed the rest of her clothes into her suitcase and zipped it. "Dimitri, I'll give you a call once we're settled in. Thank you for everything."

"Goodbye, Gillian," he said. Then stooping down to Katalin's height, he gave her a hug and told her, "Now be good for your Mommy. I love you." 

"'Love you, too, Dimi," she said quietly.

Gillian took Kata's hand and led her down the stairs.

... 

"You should find everything about the same as it was before," Ruth told Julia as they walked around the hospital. 

"I'm so happy to be back here," Julia said.

"We're happy to have you back. Now, I've got to get back to work. Welcome back." 

"Thank you, Ruth."

Julia walked around the halls that felt so foreign and unreal to her, yet so familiar. It felt so good to finally get to be a nurse at Pine Valley Hospital like she'd dreamed of. But, it wasn't the same as if she'd have gotten to work alongside her sister. After walking around for a bit, she left quickly remembering somewhere she'd been meaning to go. 

... 

"What? Oh, ok, I'll try her there later, thanks," Ryan said, hanging up the phone.

"Who did you call, Ryan?" Tracy asked him, cuddling up to his side. 

"Oh, I was just trying to check on Gillian, but she's left Wildwind and moved to Myrtle's."

"You really should stop it with her, you're divorced, honey, you don't have an obligation to check up on her." 

"Trace, don't be so cold. Just because we were married and aren't anymore doesn't mean we aren't still friends and we don't still care for each other." 

"Do you care for her more than me?" 

"It's not the same." 

"So I guess that's a yes?" 

"Tracy…" he sighed, standing up. 

"Ryan, really, it's not fair to your girlfriend, ME, for you to be so wrapped up in what's going on with your ex! I'm the one here, living with you, not her! Where has she been for the last four years, huh? She hasn't bothered to check back in with you after all that time!" 

"I don't know where she's been or what she's been up to since she left but that doesn't mean that I didn't wonder and that I don't care." 

"Do you think of her when we're together?" 

"Tracy, can't you just be supportive of me? Yes, you're here, you're the one I chose to live with me, ok? But someone I care very much about was nearly killed in a car accident, isn't it human of me to see how she is?" 

"Yeah, whatever. I've gotta get to work, we're not done discussing this."

"Yes, we are, Tracy." 

She shook her head "no" as she slammed the door behind her. 

... 

Gillian struggled with her bags as she entered Myrtle's. She sat her things down and walked in, staring at her surroundings, nothing had changed since she had left. 

"Mommy, this is where you lived, before I was born, with Daddy?" Katalin asked, wide-eyed.

"Yes, baby," she said, tousling her hair. 

"Hello?" Myrtle called from the kitchen. "Gillian, is that you?" 

Myrtle came from the kitchen with a smile on her face, going straight to Gillian for a hug. "Welcome back sweetie!" Myrtle said, sitting down on the couch, motioning for Gillian to join her.

"Thank you for letting us stay here." 

"You're always welcome here. Is this the other part of the "we"?" she asked. 

"Yes, Mrs. Fargate, this is Katalin," Gillian said, pulling Kata up into her lap. 

"Well, it's very nice to meet you, Katalin," Myrtle smiled. 

"Nice to meet you, too," Kata nearly whispered.

"How old are you, Katalin?" she asked 

Kata held up three fingers, "Three. I'll be four soon." 

"Her birthday's in November," Gillian said.

"She's Ryan's child?" Myrtle guessed. 

"Yes," Gillian nodded. "But he doesn't know, and I'm not ready to tell him, so please, keep this quiet, not many people know about her and I want to keep it like that until I can tell him, I don't want him to find out accidentally."

"I understand, I won't tell him, but don't you think you should as soon as possible? He's lost so much time with her already." 

"I will tell him, just not right now, Kata and I have both been through so much in the past month, we need for our lives to settle some first." 

"I understand," Myrtle said, standing up. "Why don't we go upstairs and see your room?" 

"Ok, c'mon Kata," Gillian said, picking up her suitcase. 

... 

Julia pulled up to an unfamiliar building with a familiar name. She quickly parked at headed to the door. Upon entering, she was welcomed by a familiar atmosphere and a familiar face standing behind the bar. 

"Hal!" Julia exclaimed, practically running to the bar. 

"Wow, this couldn't be here Mrs. Julia Keefer, now could it? How long's it been?" Hal asked. 

"Six years, more than that probably! How've you been? This new place looks great, definitely a step up from the old place!"

"Thanks, I'm glad you approve! The new "Hal's" is doing great, that stage over there has a bright new performer up there singing his or her heart out nearly every night and it's almost always packed to capacity of country fans. You should stay around for tonight's act, it's a new guy in town, never heard of him, but he gave me a little sample of his act earlier and I immediately made room for him tonight. He's over there sitting on the steps to the stage right now," Hal pointed. "His name's-" 

"Tyler Barrows," Julia smiled, looking where Hal pointed. 

"You've met?" 

"Yeah, just once. We ran into each other at the Valley Inn a few days after I got back in town."

"He seems like a great guy. I notice that you don't have your man here with you, how's he been?"

"Noah died a few years ago in an accident at his work. I'm back here alone."

"I'm sorry to hear that, you doing ok?" 

"Yeah, I'm doing fine, but of course it's a little hard to be back here in Pine Valley where we shared so many memories."

"I can imagine," Hal said, wiping down the bar. "Why don't you go get you a seat down front, he's about to start." 

"Ok, I will, it was great talking to you, Hal," Julia said. 

"Same to you, welcome back." 

Julia walked to a table about in the middle of the room and sat down, watching Tyler as he arranged things on stage so he could start. After a few minutes, the lights dimmed and he began the first song. The entire place silenced as they watched and listened, he had complete control of the place. When he got to the last song, he looked directly at Julia as he sang. 

I am not brave and I'm not too smart  
The tin man wouldn't trade for my heart  
Got two left feet when I am dancing  
and a long history of brief romances

Got no rubies, got no diamonds  
None passed down and I cannot buy them  
Got a box of hurt and a bag of shame  
and you barely know my name  
I've got big, big hopes about you  
Yeah, I've got big, big hopes.

Got an old leather jacket, would look good on you  
and lots of friends, they would like you too  
I've got some pull with the moon and tides  
and thirty-two dollars, lets go somewhere tonight.  
I've got big, big hopes about you  
I've got big, big hopes  
Oh yeah

I've had hopes before, but not like this  
I'm flying over the edge into the sweet abyss 

I've got some pull with the moon and tides  
and thirty two dollars, lets go somewhere tonight 

I've got big, big hopes about you  
I've got big hopes  
I've got big hopes about you 

The last chords of the song faded off as Tyler sat down his guitar. The place exploded into applause, Julia being one of the loudest ones. After everything had died down, he stepped off the stage and went over to her table where she was sitting alone. 

"So, how've you been?" he asked her. 

"Pretty good, nothing exciting," she said shyly. "That was a great show, I didn't know you can sing."

"There's a lot you don't know about me," he grinned, showing his dimples. 

"I'm sure," she laughed. 

"I'll be playing here again next Friday, how about you come by a little early and we have a drink or some dinner together?" he asked. 

"Thanks, I'd love to." 

"I look forward to seeing you again." 

Julia smiled as they both stood up. "So do I." 

(Song Credit: Ty Herndon's "Big Hopes" from the CD of the same name, written by Walt Wilkins) 


	10. Chapter 10

**

A Place in the Sun

**

10 

"Hayley!" Mateo called out. 

"What?" she yelled back from the laundry room. 

"Honey, what are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm folding clothes." She kept on with her task.

"Shouldn't you be doing something else? I don't know, making something to eat or something?"

"Why?" she still didn't look up.

"Hayley, remember, Raquel's bringing Max over, they're getting back from Texas today." 

"Yeah? I know." 

"Yeah. What's with you?" 

"Excuse me if I'm not doing back flips over the fact that your son is coming here, last time he was in this house he was staring down a gun at me." 

Mateo took a deep breath. "Hayley, he's changed, you know that, he got help and he's better now. It's been four years! People change in that amount of time, look at us! Look how different our lives are now!" 

"We have two year old twins, of course our lives are different! Evil like that doesn't change, it doesn't just go away." 

"Max isn't evil!" 

Flashback 

"You've ruined everything, Hayley," Max said, holding the gun out straight in front of him, pointing directly at Hayley. 

"Max, sweetie, I don't know what you mean, please, put down the gun," she said, trying to get away from the six year old. 

"You're going to have a new baby and then Daddy won't come see me and Mommy. You want him all to yourself." 

"Max, it's not like that at all, Mateo will always be your Daddy." 

Max shook his head as his hand holding the gun tensed. 

"Max, please put the gun down." 

"No," he said firmly. 

"Max, honey, please," Hayley pleaded. This kid was only six yet she felt so helpless. 

"No!" he yelled, pulling the trigger. He hit her squarely in the shoulder and she fell to the ground. 

End Flashback 

"Mateo, you weren't there, I'm sorry, I just can't forget that day." 

"Hayley, I'm not saying to forget it, I'm not telling you to completely forget everything he ever did, I'm just hoping that you'll accept that he's changed and that he's better now. Why are we even dredging all this up anyway? I thought we were past this by now." 

"I'm sorry, Mateo, it's just not that simple, I know it's been four years. Sorry, I can't say I'm all too happy about your son coming back." 

... 

Bobby walked into the front office of Pine Valley Elementary School and signed into the visitor's book, also taking a PVES visitor name tag. He walked down the hall to Sam's classroom where the students were lined up for lunch.

"Bobby!" Sam almost screamed when he saw Bobby come in. He ran over to him and gave him a big hug.

"Hey there, Sammy," Bobby said. 

"Are you here to have lunch with me?" Sam asked.

"Yep, I sure am, I thought I'd surprise you, is that okay?"

"Of course!" 

"Okay students, it's time to go to lunch," the teacher announced, leading the line to the lunchroom. 

Once there, Sam and Bobby sat down at the front lunch table where all the students with visitors got to sit. They had just taken out their food and were about to eat when Kelsey sat down beside Sam.

"Hey Sammy!" she said.

"Kelsey!" 

"Sorry I was a little late," she said.

"That's okay." 

"You knew she was coming?" Bobby asked Sam.

Sam nodded. 

"Bobby, if you don't want me here, I can leave and I'll just come eat with Sam tomorrow," Kelsey said.

"No, it's okay, stay."

"Um, okay." 

No one said anything for at least a whole minute. Sam's eyes went back and forth between his two biological parents.

"What's wrong with you guys?" he finally asked.

Kelsey and Bobby eyed each other. 

"Um, nothing, Sam, it's just a little, I don't know, weird," Bobby said. 

"Do you two not like each other?" he asked.

"No, it's not that, it's just been a long time for me and Bobby-"

"Bobby and I," Sam corrected. 

"Bobby and I," Kelsey repeated with a smile. "Like I was saying, Sammy, Bobby and I are friends, it's just been a while since we've been together, Sam, you were too young to even remember the last time the three of us were together." 

"We were all together just last month," Sam said, taking a bite of his sandwich. 

"Well, I mean alone, last month there was a ton of other people there," Kelsey said. 

Sam looked around the room, "There sure are a lot more people here." 

"He sure takes after you, Kels," Bobby told her. "Sammy, I think what she means is the three of us sitting here together, not with our other family people gathered around. See, when you were really little-" 

"Daddy told me about being with you two when I was a baby. When he told me, I got mad at you because you took me away from my Mommy and Daddy, but Daddy explained to me that you only did what you did because you loved me." 

"We still do love you," Kelsey said to him. 

"Oh, lunch is over," Sam said, seeing his class getting up to leave. 

"Bye sweetie," Kelsey said, trying to give him a hug as he tried to wriggle away. 

"Bye Sam," Bobby waved as Sam rejoined his class. 

"Well, that wasn't too bad, now was it?" Kelsey asked. 

"Not a bit," Bobby said, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"So…would you like to go to BJ's and get some real food? This cafeteria stuff is just as bad as I remember it!"

"Uh, sure…I'll meet you there, ok?" Bobby said. What am I thinking? He thought.

They headed off to their cars.

... 

Carmen flipped through the journal she'd been keeping since coming to Pine Valley.

_August 17, 2003_

What the woman whispered keeps reverberating in my mind. I'm almost certain of what she said, but to lock that in as what she definitely said would put a name to myself, other than the one given to me by Garlan six years ago. And if I'm wrong as to what she said, or if I'm not who she thought I was, then I will be going in the wrong direction. 

Is one sliver of something I might have found out worth this?

_September 1, 2003_

More than two weeks have gone by since the incident at the Valley Inn. I've made my decision. The name she said was "Maria." I may be Maria. But to know for sure, I would have to talk to that woman. 

I have seen her several times since, but considering her reaction to seeing me the first time, I decided against approaching her. 

I keep waiting for someone else to recognize me. Not that I've been too many places, most of the time I stay up here in my hotel room, but the money that Garlan gave me will run out sometime, so eventually I must leave and find work. 

September 4, 2003

Today I went to the hospital. Garlan had made me promise to get checked out once I came back to the mainland. So, today I finally went.

I saw the woman from that night. She is a nurse at Pine Valley Hospital. I heard someone talk to her; her name is Julia Keefer. This bit of information may be helpful to me. 

Maria. Maybe if I could just find out who this "mysterious" Maria is, that could give me a clue.

Carmen closed the book. She didn't have a new entry to make since she'd once again spent the entire day in her room.

She gently placed the book on the nightstand and stood in front of the mirror. 

She looked at her reflection. "Maria?" she asked, pointing to herself. 


	11. Chapter 11

**

A Place In the Sun

**

11 

Kelsey and Bobby walked into BJ's together and were quickly seated. 

"So…," she said, fiddling with the flowers on the table. 

"We really haven't talked much since we got back here." 

"No, we haven't." 

"Well, we should. Now." 

"My thoughts exactly." 

"So, how've you been?" 

"Pretty good, you?" 

"Same. So, Anita told me you came back after graduation." 

"Yep, I'm a full-fledged intern now." 

"At?" 

"Pine Valley Hospital, of course." 

"A doctor?" he said, sounding impressed. 

"Yes, a doctor, but you knew that's what I wanted to be." 

"Yeah, I did, I just didn't.." 

"You just didn't what? You didn't think I'd make it, did you?" she said, throwing a napkin at him. 

"I knew you could do anything you set your mind to," he said, cupping his hand in her's. 

"So, what about you? You graduated?" 

"Yep, law. Just have to pass the Pennsylvania Bar Exam and I'll be all set." 

"I'm sure you'll ace it." 

"Thanks." 

"How are you and Anita?" 

"We got married a few months after we moved to Chicago," he said, showing off his ring. 

"Are things going good between the two of you?" 

"They're okay, not wonderful, I think the stress of coming back here isn't helping. I want to stay here and she's the one who wants to be back in Chicago, imagine that. She's got me and her mama trying to convince her to stay here and she's not all too happy with either one of us." 

"Well, she can go back for all I care," Kelsey said under her breath. 

"What?" he asked. 

"Oh, nothing," she said innocently. 

... 

Ryan opened up the door to his apartment to leave. As he stepped out, he was met face to face by Tracy. 

"Where are you going?" she asked, pinning him in the doorframe. 

"None of your damn business," he said, pushing her off of him. 

"You're going to see her, aren't you? If you weren't, you'd give me a straight answer." 

"Lay off, Trace, just mind your own business." 

"It is my business when my boyfriend is sneaking off to see his ex-wife!" 

"How many times must we got through this?" Ryan said. 

"Well?" 

"Yes, yes, I am going to see Gillian." 

"But you're my boyfriend, Ryan, not her's!" 

"Then maybe I don't need to be your boyfriend. You're such a whiny little spoiled brat, by the time I get back, I expect all of your stuff to be gone, I don't care where you go, just get out of my apartment." 

... 

Gillian buttoned up the back of Katalin's dress and then spun her around. 

Kata giggled and then her face turned serious as she gazed at the picture on the nightstand. 

"Mommy, when am I going to meet my daddy?" she asked. 

"Soon, Kata, soon, I promise, it won't be long," Gillian assured her. 

"But why not now?" she asked. 

"Really, baby, I don't know, the time's just not right. It's something you'll understand when you're older."

"But I'm almost four years old, will I understand then?" 

Gillian smiled. "I hope you will have met him by then."

"Is he not in town?" 

"No, he's here." 

"Then what's stopping you?" Kata said, raising her arms up.

"Kata, it's very complicated."

"Grownups are complicated."

"Yes, we are." 

"I won't be complicated when I'm a grownup." 

Gillian had to laugh at that. She pulled Katalin into her lap and told her, "Baby, you are so cute, you know that? Your daddy is just going to love you so much."

There was a soft knock on the door.

"Who is it?" Gillian called, sitting up straight and standing Katalin up. 

"Myrtle, dear, can I come in?" 

"Come in."

"Gillian, you have a visitor downstairs, I told him I'd come up to get you."

"Is it..?" 

"Yes."

"Could you keep an eye on Kata while I go talk to him?" 

"Surely dear, now don't keep him waiting." 

"Thanks, I won't be too long." 

"Take as long as you want." 

Gillian practically ran down the stairs to the living room. 

"Whoa, slow down, Princess, you're still recuperating." 

"Ryan," she said, out of breath. 

"Yeah, it's me," he smiled. "How are you?" 

... 

"You want something to drink?" Bobby asked Kelsey. 

"Uh, yeah sure, your pick," she said. 

Bobby excused himself from the table and headed to the bar. 

Carmen opened the door to BJ's and tentatively stepped inside. A server quickly came to her side and asked how many were in her party. 

"Just one," she said quietly. 

She was seated and handed a menu. She held this up and scanned the items. 

Kelsey's eyes wandered around the room, looking to see if she recognized anyone. It had been a while since she had been in Pine Valley and it was strange to see so many unfamiliar faces. 

Carmen lowered the menu a few inches allowing her own eyes to wander. This place had such a familiar feel to her. 

Kelsey's eyes finally stopped on Carmen. They grew wide as Bobby sat down with the drinks. 

"What is it?" he asked. Carmen, suddenly feeling uneasy, dropped the menu and left the restaurant.

"This lady over there, Bobby, you won't believe this, but she looked just like Maria," Kelsey said pointing to the table. 

"Kels, there's no one there," he said.

"She was there just a minute ago…," she said, searching the room for the woman. "Bobby, if I didn't know that Maria was dead, I'd swear that was her."

"But it wasn't." 

"I know…I just wish it could've been, I know I gave her hell, but I miss her. She's Sammy's mother and Sammy should have her, she loved him and Maddie so much. She missed out on so much with both of them, with me taking Sam and then Erica taking Maddie, and then for her to be taken away from them right when she was so happy, it's just not fair," Kelsey was near tears. 

"I know it wasn't," Bobby said, trying to comfort her. 

... 

"Come, sit down," Ryan said, gesturing towards the couch.

"Thanks for coming, Ryan," she said, sitting down.

"No, it's my pleasure to see you. How are you doing?"

"I'm doing great, I'm all better!" 

"That's good to hear."

"How are things with you?"

"Nothing that great, but I'm getting along." 

"Ryan, what's wrong? You seem sad today."

"No, just mad."

"At who?" 

"Myself."

"Oh. What for?"

"For getting myself into these situations, over and over again, no matter how hard I try, nothing works out for me."

"If you don't mind, what happened?"

"Well, you see, I've been living with this girl, Tracy, for a few years now." 

"Pretty serious?" she asked, trying not to show her disappointment. 

"Yeah. Well, her and I, we get along ok, most of the time, but lately I'm gritting my teeth each time I'm with her just to keep from screaming at her. She just doesn't understand me. She's so self-absorbed, all the time." 

"Kinda like I was?" Gillian laughed remembering how she was when her and Ryan first met. 

"No, you could never be like her. Ever since your accident, she's been on me constantly. Every time I called to check up on you, she's get all jealous. Every time I want to come to see you, she tries to make me stay home. It's ridiculous! So, today when she tried to stop me from coming to talk to you, I told her to just get her stuff out, I don't want to see her anymore." 

"Ryan, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cause any trouble for you by coming back."

"Oh, Gillian, this isn't your fault at all. I don't need a girl like her. I've been wanting her out for a while now, just didn't have the heart to tell her."

"Still…"

"Still nothing, I'm glad you're here." 

"Really?" she asked, looking up at him.

"Really. Gillian, I've really missed you. It's been a long time." 

"I know it has. I've missed you, too." 

Both were silent for a few moments. 

"Ryan, do you ever think about how it might've been?" 

"If we'd have stayed together? Of course." 

"Like what?" 

"Like by now, we'd have been married for, what? Five years? We'd probably have a little one or two scampering around. I don't know why, I always pictured us with kids. Ha, that'd be funny. Miss worldly Gillian tied down by a pack of kids." 

"That is funny," she said with a little grin. 

"Things would be so different." 

"Yeah, they would." 

"Well, it was nice talking to you, I've got to get to the station," he said, standing up. 

"Oh, ok, thanks for coming, please, don't hesitate to come again." 

"I won't, Princess. Bye," he told her, with a kiss on the cheek. 

"Bye, Ryan," she said, waving out the door. 

Upstairs, Katalin stared out the window as Ryan went to his car. "Bye Daddy," she said, sadly. 


	12. Chapter 12

**

A Place In the Sun

**

12

Julia looked around SOS as she walked through the door. Not seeing who she was looking for, she sat down at a table.

In the back room, Tracy tried to compose herself. She adjusted her SOS t-shirt as she looked in the mirror, calming a few pieces of hair. She was still upset from her fight with Ryan. 

"I just don't understand!" she said to herself. "What does he see in his ex-wife? They did get divorced for a reason, I'm sure. So why would he want to see her? She seems like such a twit, I'm sure I'd hate her. But of course, he hasn't taken me to meet her yet. Couldn't do that, now could we? Let the new girl meet the ex. I've been with him longer than she was!" 

The door opened to the room. "How long are you going to take?" Adrian asked, sticking his head in.

"I'm finished," she said, plastering on a smile. She went out into the bar area and grabbed an ordering pad. She saw Julia sitting by herself at a table and went over to her. 

"Can I get you anything?" she asked her.

"Just a water, thanks," Julia said, still looking around.

Tracy brought her the water and looked around for another customer to serve.

A man motioned to her to come to his table. She went over to him and was prepared to take his order.

"No, no, sit down here for a minute, I want to talk to you," he said. 

She looked warily at him, but from the look in his eyes, she sat down. "What do you want?" she asked him. 

"I have a little, say, proposition for you," he said. 

"What kind of proposition? And who are you?" she asked.

"My name's Raymond, but most people calls me R.J."

"I'm Tracy." 

"I know."

This comment disturbed her even more. "What do you want."

"I wants your help."

"How can I help you?" 

"That's what you asked when you first came over here." 

A chill ran up her spine. "What do you want?" she asked again. 

"I've got mission, I'm here in Pine Valley on a mission, and you are just the woman to help me." 

... 

Hayley sat down on her bed and waited for her children to climb up beside her.

"What did you want to talk to us about?" Liliana asked her. 

"Are we in trouble?" Christopher asked.

"No, no, sweetie, you're not in trouble," Hayley reassured them.

"Then what is it, Mommy?" Lili asked.

"I'm sure you've heard Daddy talking about this, and I just wanted to talk to you two a bit about it," Hayley started. "You know you have a big brother, Max, who's been away for a while, right?"

They nodded.

"Well, Max is coming here today for a visit."

The twins didn't say anything; they didn't know what to think of Max coming there. 

After a few moments, Liliana said, "Mommy, you don't like Max, do you?"

"Lili, you're right, I'm not really all that excited about Max being here. I know we've taught you two to always forgive people when they're mean to you, but Max was very, very bad."

"Did he hurt you?" Christopher asked her. 

"Yes, sweetie, Max did hurt me, in many ways. But hopefully, he's learned from what he did and he's a better person now."

"So, what are we supposed to do?" Lili asked.

"I just want you to use your best judgement with Max. Don't let him make you do something you don't want to do, and you tell me or Daddy if he says or does anything that you think might be wrong. Deal?"

"Deal," they repeated.

...

"What kind of mission?" Tracy asked.

"Specifics aren't important."

"Then how do you expect me to help you?"

"For one, you have to fix your relationship."

"What relationship?"

"With your boyfriend." 

"What does Ryan have to do with anything?" 

"Everything." 

"I'm sorry, I don't understand." 

"Just keep him away from his ex-wife." 

"Ryan doesn't want anything to do with me." 

"Then I guess you'll just have to fix that, now won't you?"

"What do I get out of this?" 

"Try Ryan? Isn't that what you want?"

Tracy thought for a moment and then said, "Ok, deal, you've got it, I'll keep Ryan away from Gillian."

"Good decision. Now, get back to work," he told her.

"Well, where can I contact you, just in case?"

"Don't worry about it, I'll meet up with you again soon enough. Now, go."

Tracy did as he told her.

... 

"I thought you'd never get here," Julia smiled as Tyler sat down. 

"I was just finishing up some business, I signed the papers to rent an apartment here today." 

"Oh, so you're sticking around?" she asked. 

"Looks like. Even if I don't find my brother here, I kinda like Pine Valley, looks like as good a place as any to settle down."

"I need to find somewhere to stay, too. I don't think my mama's ready for me to move to another town after being gone for six years, she wants to keep me close. She lost so many of us at once, it was hard on her."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"See, first my papa died in a car wreck, then Noah and I had to leave, then my sister Maria died in a plane crash, and my sister Anita went off with her then-fiancée to Chicago."

"Wow, that must've been awful on her." 

"I don't know how she survived. Ok, enough about me, tell me something about yourself." 

"Well, there's not much to tell. Myself, I'm just a simple country boy who loves to sing. My brother and I, we were on our own from about the time I was fifteen. Our parents weren't no good to us, so once he turned eighteen he took care of me. He put me through school and then I went off on my own and I haven't seen him in years now."

"I can understand why you'd want to be looking for him."

"I'm worried about him. Last I heard about him, he'd gotten into some trouble with the law, served a few months in jail. That's so unlike the big brother that had practically raised me I have to find out for myself."

"Well, I wish you luck in finding him."

...

"Kids! Hayley! Raquel and Max are here!" Mateo called for them.

"Ok, kids, remember what I said," Hayley said, standing up.

Christopher and Liliana nodded, following their mother into the front room. 

"It's so great to see you," Mateo said, giving Raquel a hug.

"Oh, my gosh! Are those the twins?" she said, pointing at Lili and Chris. "They've grown so much!" 

"Max, hey, I want you to meet your little brother and sister," Mateo said, leading him over to his other children. "Max, this is Christopher, and this is Liliana." 

"It's nice to meet you," he said to them.

"Max, where are your manners? Aren't you going to say 'hi' to Hayley?" Raquel asked. 

Max turned to face his stepmother. "Hello, Hayley." 


	13. Chapter 13

A Place In the Sun

13

Carmen walked through the park one day, deep in thought, but in constant observance of the people she passed. She spotted a young girl examining some flowers and stopped.

Wondering where the person responsible for her was, she knelt down beside the girl and asked her, ''Sweetie, where is your mother?''

''She is in heaven,'' the child said simply.

''Oh, I'm so sorry,'' Carmen said, slightly embarrassed for her assumption.

''It's okay, don't look sad,'' the girl said, standing up. ''Hi, I'm Maddie, who are you?''

''My name's Carmen, nice to meet you,'' Carmen said. ''But weren't you ever told not to talk to strangers.''

''Yeah, I guess so, but you don't seem like a stranger,'' Maddie said.

''Why not?'' Carmen asked her.

Maddie stared up into Carmen's face for several moments before answering her. ''You look sort of like my mother. She's been in heaven for six years now, so I was just a baby when she died, but I've seen pictures.''

''Maddie!'' they both heard a male voice call.

''Oh, that must be Tyler. He's my Aunt Julia's friend,'' Maddie said, brushing the dirt off her dress.

''You'd better go to him,'' Carmen said.

''Madeline Flora!'' they heard another voice call.

''I better go! No one ever calls me that unless I'm about to be in trouble. It was nice meeting you,'' Maddie told her.

''It was nice meeting you, too.''

Tyler and Julia were now within sight and Maddie ran towards them.

''Maddie, we told you not to go out of our sight,'' Julia said.

''I'm sorry, I was smelling the flowers, they're so pretty right now,'' Maddie told them.

''Still, you shouldn't disobey us,'' Julia said. ''And who were you talking with just now?''

''Her name is Carmen, she thought I was lost, I think.''

''You shouldn't be talking to strangers,'' Tyler told her.

''I know, I know! But, Aunt Julia, she looked like my mother.''

At this, Julia and Tyler stood up and looked at each other, both remembering that night in August at the Valley Inn.

... 

''Hello, Hayley,'' Max repeated when Hayley didn't respond.

''H-hi Max, it's really, um, great to see you,'' she stammered.

''Hayley, don't pretend,'' he said.

''What do you mean?'' she asked him.

''You are still mad at me. I'm very sorry that I hurt you, but that was so many years ago, I'd hoped that by now you could've forgiven me.''

''I have, in my mind, I have forgiven you for what you did. But my heart, it won't ever forget, my baby died because of you. I'm trying my best to forgive you, but I can't ever forget.'' Hayley turned and walked back to the bedroom.

Liliana and Christopher looked up at Mateo with wide eyes as they clung to his legs.

''Daddy, is Mommy okay?'' Lili asked.

''Sweetie, she'll be fine,'' Mateo assured her.

'''Teo, I'm sorry, I should have waited longer to bring him here, or I could have come over when she wasn't at home,'' Raquel said.

''No, no, she'd of had to seen him sooner or later,'' Mateo told her. ''Kids, why don't you all go back to Chris's room and finish that puzzle you started earlier, okay?''

Lili and Chris just nodded and Max followed them down the hall.

Once the children had left, Mateo pounded his arm against the wall and then rested his head on his fist.

''Dammit, I thought she'd be okay. It's been years, I thought she'd put it past her, Raquel. You know, she never wanted to talk to me about it anyway.''

''That's understandable; it was Ryan's child.''

''I know, I know, but we were back together by then, we were going to raise that baby together even though it wasn't mine.''

''But when the baby died, it wasn't your own baby that died, even if you said you were going to love it as your own. It wasn't the same for you as it was for her, and I'm sure she probably didn't share everything with you.''

Mateo was silent for several moments. ''Look, why don't you two just get going, I can spend some time with him soon, today's just not going to work out.''

''Yeah, of course,'' Raquel agreed, then calling for Max to come.

''I'm sorry, it's just…''

''I understand, this is all a difficult situation.''

''Yes, mama?'' Max said as he returned to them.

''Get ready to go, sweetie,'' she told him, ''we're leaving.''

''Wait, before you go, I've got something for you,'' Mateo said, going to the closet.

Mateo handed Max a box, telling him to open it. Max ripped open the paper and took of the lid. 

''Wow! A new glove and bat and ball!'' he exclaimed, hugging his father.

''Yeah, I thought you'd probably be needing a new one. Maybe we can go test it out in a few days.''

''That'd be great!'' he said, giving Mateo another hug. ''Please tell Hayley I'm sorry for upsetting her.''

''I'll do that for you,'' Mateo told him.

''Goodbye, Dad,'' Max said.

''Bye, Son.'' 


	14. Chapter 14

A Place In the Sun

14 

Julia watched from the front table later that evening as Tyler tuned his guitar, getting ready to go on stage. They'd had a wonderful dinner, talking and laughing like they'd known each other for years. 

Now Tyler got up on stage and he got ready for his performance. While tuning his guitar, he always kept an eye on his date. 

As the lights came up, the audience clapped. The place was packed. He played through his set and then before his last song, he paused for a moment. 

"I came to this town looking for something. I haven't found it yet, but I did find something else. Isn't it funny that in a moment, your entire world can change. For me, coming to Pine Valley changed my life for the better, even in the short time I've been here. This is for you, Julia." 

_The world just lost two lonely people  
The world just lost two broken hearts  
The odds were against us  
But baby here we are _

In our own little place  
In our own little corner  
This cold, cold world  
Just got a little warmer  
For the rest of my life  
I'm gonna hold you in my arms 

And when they carve my stone all they need to write on it  
Was once lived a man who got all he ever wanted  
Tell me something, who could ask for more  
Than to be living in a moment you would die for

If I never get rich on what money can buy  
It don't matter to me and I'll tell you why  
I've got it all when I'm holding you this way  
I'll live love you, I'll die to keep you  
Safe inside these arms that need you  
I'll be loving you with the very last breath I take 

And when they carve my stone all they need to write on it  
Was once lived a man who got all he ever wanted  
Tell me something, who could ask for more  
Than to be living in a moment you would die for 

Ashes to ashes, dust into dust  
I'll lay beside you forever in love

And when they carve my stone all they need to write on it  
Was once lived a man who got all he ever wanted  
Tell me something, who could ask for more  
Than to be living in a moment you would die for

The audience applauded louder than ever, Julia being the loudest. Tyler motioned for her to come up on the stage with her. She jumped up onto the stage and into his arms, which made the audience even louder. 

...

"Hey," Ray said, flagging down Tracy at SOS.

"What do you want, now?" she asked. 

"I'm ready to use your help." 

"Well, hurry and tell me what you want, I'm working, you know?"

"I 'overheard' Gill and Ryan planning to meet tomorrow, at the place where she's staying, for lunch. I need you to make sure that Ryan doesn't make it there on time, or at all. Do you think you can manage that?"

"Ryan doesn't want a thing to do with me, haven't I already made that clear?" 

"You'll do what I say, missy, or you'll be sorry you've ever heard of me," he said, grabbing her arm. 

"I already am."

"So, you'll do it?"

"I'll try, but no promises."

"Are you going to keep Ryan from going? Answer the question."

"Yes, I'll do it," she said reluctantly.

"Good," he said, sitting back down. "Don't you see how this benefits both of us?"

"I've got to get back to work."

"If Gillian isn't available, then Ryan can't have her, if Ryan can't have her, he'll go back to you. Simple enough." 

"There's many other fish in the sea, what makes you think Ryan will automatically come back to me?" 

"You're just such a beautiful, sexy little being," he said, running his hand down her side. "Why wouldn't any man in his right mind not want you?" 

"Hey, Trace, how about serving these drinks?" Adrian yelled from the bar.

"I'll be right there," she called back.

"Tomorrow, around noon, stall Ryan, okay?" Ray said.

Tracy nodded, before going over to the bar. 

...

Mateo knocked on the bedroom door. 

Hayley didn't answer. 

"Honey?"

Still nothing.

"Hayley, c'mon." 

The door opened slowly; the room was dark. Hayley walked back to the bed and lay down, curling into a ball. 

"Hayley, please don't shut me out," Mateo said, going over to the bed. "Please."

Hayley wiped away a tear.

Mateo put an arm around her, laying his head on her shoulder. "I love you, Hayley."

Hayley sat up and wiped her face; her eyes looked lost as they darted back and forth.

"What's wrong with me, Mateo?"

"Nothing is wrong with you," he told her, stroking her hair.

"I'm broken, after all these years; I thought I'd be okay."

Mateo hugged her close and held her as she cried.

...

Song credit:  
Ty Herndon  
"Living In a Moment"  
CD: Living In a Moment  
Writers: Pat Bunch, Doug Johnson


	15. Chapter 15

A Place In the Sun

15 

''Anita, I'm going to go over to Kelsey's new apartment today and help her move in, okay?'' Bobby told his wife as they finished eating breakfast.

''I thought you were going to help me look at apartments this morning?'' 

''We'll end up picking what you like best anyway, so you don't need me.''

''Oh, but your ex does?''

''Jake and Tad are booked solid for the next week, so they can't help her, is there any harm in helping out an old friend?''

''Yes, when she's your ex-wife. I wish you would have talked to me about this before right now.''

''Well, sorry, maybe next time I'll do better. I've got to go, good luck.''

''Behave yourself,'' she warned, giving him a kiss.

''Don't worry.''

...

''Hey, I just wanted to call and tell you I'm running a little bit late, okay? I'll be there in about ten minutes,'' Ryan told Gillian over the phone. ''Bye.''

Ryan opened the door to leave and, to his surprise, Tracy was standing there, her arms stretched across the doorframe.

''Hey there,'' she said.

''Trace, get out of my way, I've got somewhere to be.''

''I'll only be a minute.''

''I don't have a minute, you'll have to come back some other time.''

''Hold your horses, hold your horses.''

''Tracy, have you been drinking?'' he asked as she stumbled into his apartment.

''Only a wee little bit,'' she said, showing how much with her fingers.

''I think more than a little bit.''

''Oh, Ryan, don't you miss me?'' she giggled, looking up at him with puppy dog eyes and draping her hands on his shoulders.

''Less than you could possible know,'' he said under his breath.

''What was that?''

''I said it sure is quiet around here without you.''

''So you do miss me,'' she smiled.

''What do you want, Tracy? I told you I have to leave.''

''Just need to get a few more of my things, that's all.''

''And it couldn't wait?''

''Not a minute more.''

''How long do you think you're going to be?''

''Not more than a few minutes, you can go ahead and leave, I'll lock up after you.''

''Not on my life, I'm staying right here till you're gone.''

''Suit yourself,'' she said, going back to the bedroom.

Ryan picked up the phone and dialed Myrtle's.

''Hello?'' Gillian answered.

''Hey, Gillian,-''

''Ryan, where are you?''

''I'm sorry, just as I was leaving, Tracy stopped by, I'm trying to get her out of here as fast I can, but it may be a few more minutes.''

''Okay, that's fine, I don't have any other plans for today.''

''I promise it won't be long.''

''Well, I'll see you soon.''

''Bye.''

Ryan hung up the phone and went into the bedroom to see what Tracy was doing.

...

''Hey Kelsey,'' Bobby said as he approached her at the front of her new apartment.

''Hey!'' she said, running over to him.

''Sorry I didn't get here sooner, Anita had to give me the third degree before she'd let me leave.''

''What's up with that?'' she asked, taking a box off Jake's truck that he'd leant her to help move.

''I don't know,'' he said. ''It's totally out of no where, all of a sudden, you're 'the ex' so I shouldn't come see you or help you.''

''Well, I wouldn't really blame her, you know? After all, I did pull a bunch of stunts when I was younger. I hurt her family and I did keep you away from her. But she does need to know that I've grown up.''

''I told her to trust me, but you know how Anita is, she thinks she knows everything, and she's as stubborn as any of the rest of her siblings.''

''She sure does know how to hold a grudge.''

''Hopefully she'll get over herself real soon, I'd like to think we can still be friends.''

''I've got nothing wrong with that.''

Bobby looked around the room. ''Uh, Kels? Where's the furniture?''

''Ugh, don't ask,'' she said, taking the box she was carrying back to the bedroom. ''Delivery problem, I won't get it till tomorrow. I put it in storage when I moved back here after graduation, but I put it in storage back in California, since I didn't know if I was going to stay here or not. But now I am, so all my stuff has to come here, something about the truck got a flat tire. Anyway, a day without a bed or a couch won't kill me.''

''Yeah, I guess not. Anita and I are looking for an apartment, too, all our stuff is still in Chicago. Funny how none of us intend to move back here and we're back here at the same time.''

''Oh, I almost forgot, I ran into Laura the other day.''

''Yeah? How's she doing?''

''Great. She was just here visiting Brooke; Laura's living in New York now, doing social work there in the inner city.''

''Wow, that's great for her.''

''Yeah, she loves it. She said she's run into Scott a few times, actually, you know he finished film school? He was shooting a short he's working on near one of the centers she works at.''

''Wouldn't that be so neat if they got back together after all these years.''

''Bobby, that would be as weird as the two of us getting together.''

They both laughed.

''Let's go get some more boxes off the truck,'' Bobby said, heading out the front door.

...

A few minutes after Gillian hung up with Ryan, there was a knock on Myrtle's door.

''Coming,'' Gillian said, rushing to the door. Opening it, she said, ''That was quick.''

''You were expecting me?''

''Ray.''

''I know my name, are you going to let me in?''

''No.''

''Yes, you are, Gill,'' he said, pushing past her.

''Ray, I mean it, you can't be here.''

''And just why not?''

''I'm expecting company.''

''Who?''

''None of your business.''

''You know better than to back talk me. Is this the thanks I get for all I've done for you?''

''All you've done for me? What? Beating me around like I'm your personal punching bag? Yeah, I'm really appreciative of that. Or maybe I'm appreciative of how you'd take your anger out on my daughter.''

''A little putting in her place never hurt anyone.''

''Yes, it did, Ray.''

''She could use a little toughening up, still, where is she?''

''What do you want, Ray?''

''Just saying 'hi', let you know I'm around.''

''Well, please, go back to where you came from.''

''Can't.''

''Why, they've got some warrant out for your arrest?''

''You wish, but no. I got some debts I need to pay.''

''So, that's what you want, money?''

''You are royalty.''

''Ray, you know that that means absolutely nothing, you know my father blew it all years ago, way before we even met!''

''You'll get the money.''

Gillian was about to protest when she heard a noise on the stairs. 


	16. Chapter 16

A Place In the Sun

16

''Tracy?'' Ryan asked, looking around the bedroom for her.

He saw that the covers on the bed were heaped up the middle, he pulled them back and saw her lying there, passed out.

''Tracy, get up, and get out of here,'' he told her, pulling her to the feet.

''No, no, no, just let me take a little nap.''

''No, Trace, I have plans, you need to leave.''

''Let's go jump on the bed!'' Tracy shrieked, doing a total 180, grinning from ear to ear. She ran into the bedroom and climbed up onto the bed. 

''Tracy.''

''C'mon, c'mon, c'mon,'' she said, trying to pull him up on the bed.

''You need to go back to wherever you've been staying and take a cold shower or something.''

''Fine, be that way, I can see I'm not wanted here,'' Tracy said, jumping off the bed in a huff and marching to the door.

''If you need to get any more of your things, just call me before you come, okay?''

''Yeah, whatever,'' she said, grabbing her purse.

''Bye, Tracy,'' Ryan said, pushing her out the door.

''Bye, babe,'' she said, blowing him a kiss.

...

''Mommy, is your visitor here yet?'' Katalin asked from the landing of the steps. 

''Kata, go back upstairs, please,'' Gillian told her.

Katalin froze on the landing.

''Mommy, why is he here?''

''He's leaving, baby.''

''Speak for yourself, Gill,'' Ray said, standing up and walking towards Kata. ''How have you been?''

Kata clutched her doll tightly and held her lips shut.

''Oh, going to give me the silent treatment, huh?''

''You heard Mommy, she said leave!'' Kata started to run back up the stairs.

Ray caught her by the back of her overalls. ''I didn't tell you that you could leave.''

''Leave me alone!'' she yelled.

''Ray, get out of here!'' Gillian said, pulling him away from Katalin.

Ray turned around quickly, letting go of Kata, and slapped Gillian across her face. 

''You haven't seen the last of me,'' Ray said, leaving.

Gillian watched to make sure he really left the premises and came back to Katalin.

''Mommy, you said we'd never have to see him again.''

''I'm sorry, I thought we wouldn't,'' she said, holding her baby tight.

''Do we have to leave now?'' Kata asked her.

''Why?''

''Ray.''

''No, baby, we're not going to run from him. He's not going to hurt us anymore.''

There was another knock at the door.

''Kata, run upstairs now, Mommy's visitor is here,'' Gillian told her. 

''Yes, ma'am,'' Katalin said, hugging her Mommy again. ''Love you.''

''I love you, too,'' Gillian said. ''Now stay upstairs till I come up.''

Kata nodded and ran back upstairs.

Gillian went over to the door after she heard the bedroom door shut.

She opened the door; it was Ryan this time.

''Ryan,'' she said, now on the verge of tears.

''Gillian, what's wrong?''

''Just hold me,'' she said, laying her head on this chest.

Ryan wrapped his arms around her and held her as she cried.

...

''Here you go,'' the landlord said, opening the door for ''Carmen''.

''Thank you for being so understanding,'' she told him as he handed her the key. 

''Oh, it's no problem,'' he said.

''I just really need to settle down and figure out what has happened to me and all. Are you sure you know nothing about a plane crash that happened about six years ago?''

''Like I told you, I just moved her from California about a year and a half ago, but you know, across the courtyard from you, a young woman just moved in today and she mentioned that she had just moved back here recently, and that she'd been away for about five years or so. Maybe you could go over there and introduce yourself and maybe she might know something about it.''

''Thanks, I might do that later.''

''Good night.''

''Bye.''

She closed the door behind her and looked around the room. She sat down on the couch and took out her journal.

Well, I finally got myself a real place to stay, but the money Garlan gave me to come here will soon run out, I better find me a job. The landlord here was so nice to me when I explained to him what I'm going through. 

I keep thinking about that day in the park when I met that little girl. Maddie was her name. She looked like such a sweet girl and she was so matter of fact about her mother's death. 

Garlan and I had talked about the possibility of me having left a family back home, wherever that was. Maddie said I looked like her mother. And that woman at the hotel called me ''Maria''. If these both truly point to me, my name is Maria and I have a daughter who was just a baby when the plane crashed. 

Later tonight I will go see the woman across the courtyard and see what she knows about the plane crash. Maybe I can finally solve this once and for all.

She put down the journal and walked to the window. She glanced across at the apartment across from her. A young man stood at the door talking with a young woman with shoulder length blonde hair. She could tell by the way the stood and laughed that they were good friends. They hugged each other and said their good-byes before he left.

''What happened, Gillian?'' Ryan asked, wiping away her tears.

''He was here,'' she sobbed.

''Who?''

''Ray was here.''

''The guy you'd been living with?''

She nodded.

''Why, what did he want?''

''He wanted money, and I told him I have nothing and he got mad with me.''

''Did he hurt you?'' he said, holding her head in his hands. 

She nodded, as he noticed the red, puffy mark Ray's hand had left on her cheek. He held her close again.

''Gillian, I want you to move in with me.''

''Ryan, no, I can't,'' she said, thinking she couldn't tell him about Katalin, not yet.

''You can't be here, he knows you're here and he could come back and hurt you again.''

''And the first place he'd look for me if I wasn't here would be with you.''

''He knows about us?''

''Of course he does, I met him soon after we got divorced and he took me in. Oh, Ryan, he was so good to me at first, for about the first year he was everything I needed. He was always buying me things and treating me to dinners and vacations, but then he lost his job and he turned into a total different person.''

''Baby, it's okay, everything's okay now,'' he said, holding her as she trembled.

''Here goes nothing,'' ''Carmen'' said as she walked across the courtyard.

She took a deep breath as she rang the doorbell.

''Coming,'' she heard from within the apartment a few seconds before Kelsey came to the door.

''Um, hi, I just moved in across from you and the landlord said you'd lived here a few years back and I was wondering if you could help me out with something,'' she told Kelsey.

Kelsey's eyes got wide and her jaw dropped open and she stared for a moment before saying, ''You're the woman who was at BJ's that I saw, Bobby told me that it couldn't be you, but it has to be. Maria, you're alive.'' 


	17. Chapter 17

A Place In the Sun

17 

''Maria, you're alive,'' Kelsey said in amazement.

Carmen was speechless.

''Why aren't you at Wildwind with everyone? Don't you miss them? Come in, come in.''

''Thank you,'' she said, entering the apartment. ''I, I don't know. I don't know who I am, I don't know what happened, I don't know who anyone is, I don't know who you are.''

''Oh, um, yeah. That would explain it, amnesia.''

''Yes, ever since I ended up on that island, I couldn't remember anything.''

''Well, first things first, you are definitely Maria, Maria Santos Grey. Unless Maria had a twin no one knew about, not that that would be too uncommon in this crazy town…but you said you'd been on an island, how long was that?''

''Six years.''

''Yeah, it's been that long since the TGA crash.''

She gave Kelsey a somewhat blank stare. ''I don't know what to do, whether or not to be overjoyed or what? This is the first time in six years that anyone has known anything about me, at all.''

''We should get you back to your family, maybe if you see Edmund or your mother—''

''No, not yet,'' she insisted. ''I can't yet.''

...

Julia lay down in her bed that night and looked over at the clock.

''10:30…he said he'd call before I fell asleep,'' she commented to herself. Not a moment later, the phone rang.

''Hello?'' she said, picking it up.

''Hey darlin','' Tyler said from the other end.

''I'd just about given up hope.''

''Did you think I'd disappoint you?''

''Not really,'' she laughed. ''Thanks, again, for last night.''

''Aw, it was nothing.''

''That song you sang to me at the performance, it was really sweet.''

''I just sang what I felt.''

''I feel the same way, Tyler.''

Tyler didn't say anything.

''What?'' Julia asked.

''Just thinking.''

''Is something wrong?''

''It's just, this must all be really different and difficult for you. I can't even begin to imagine what it's like to promise your life to a person and then lose that person so soon. I know you'll never stop loving him, Julia; you still wear your wedding ring.''

''You're right, I'll always love Noah, but he's not going to come back, and I know that. I could fall in love again; I could very well already be falling in love again.''

''That's good to hear,'' he said. ''Well, I better let you get on to bed. Goodnight, Julia.''

''Goodnight Tyler,'' she said. She hung up the phone and then sat in silence thinking. 

Julia took a deep breath and looked down at her left hand. She slowly slid off her rings and placed them on the table beside the bed, staring at them for a few moments before pulling up the covers and trying to go to sleep.

...

''I'm sorry, I still didn't introduce myself, my name is Kelsey Jefferson, actually, Dr. Kelsey Jefferson, now,'' she said, extending her hand. ''Gosh, I wish you remembered…you inspired me to become a doctor.''

''How did I inspire you?''

''You were a doctor at PVH and you had such a passion for your work.''

''How did we know each other?''

Kelsey reached over to an end table and picked up a picture of Maria and Sam when Sam was a baby. She handed the frame to Maria. ''This little boy is how we knew each other.''

Maria looked at the picture for a few moments and then turned back to Kelsey. ''Who is he?''

''He's your son, Maria.''

''What? How?'' Maria stood up. ''How do I carry a child inside of me for nine months and then just completely forget about him? What kind of person does that make me?''

''Maria, you were in a horrible plane crash. We all thought you were dead,'' Kelsey said, trying to get Maria to calm down. ''And anyway, you didn't carry Sam. Sam's adopted.''

''He is? Then who are his biological parents?''

''I'm his mother, and his father's name is Bobby Warner, he's married to your sister Anita.''

''You gave me your son? I couldn't imagine giving away my own child.''

''It was the hardest thing I've ever done. When I was in school, I had to be away from him so long but now that I've moved back here, Edmund lets me see him just about whenever I want.''

''Edmund?''

''Your husband. Maria, just let me take you over to Wildwind, to Edmund and the kids, maybe it would jar your memory or something.''

...

''Mommy?'' Kata spoke up long after Gillian had tucked her into bed. Gillian had been lying awake next to her daughter for almost an hour by now.

''Baby, why aren't you asleep yet?''

''Was your visitor today my Daddy?''

''Yes, Katalin.''

''Why won't you tell him?''

''I told you it is complicated.''

''You're scared?''

''Yes,'' Gillian admitted to her daughter.

''Be mad at you?''

''I'd imagine he won't be all too happy with me, Kata.''

''Then make him happy with you, Mommy.''

''And what do you suggest that I do?''

''Tell him. Mommy, tell him. I want my Daddy. Isn't that why we came here?''

''Soon, baby, I promise it won't be long,'' she said, stroking Kata's hair. ''Now, go to sleep, it's late.''

...

''I told you no, I'm not going. I want to know more before I can. I don't want to be a burden on them.''

''Maria, you wold never be a burden to Edmund. It was three years before he was with another woman, and in this town, that's a lifetime.''

''What happened with the woman he was seeing?''

''I think it just didn't work out.''

''So, was she the only one?''

''The only serious one. And I only know of a few other women he even casually dated. Maria, he could never really love another woman. And it hasn't been easy for him to watch Madeline growing up to look exactly like you; sometimes I'll see him watching her and I know he's only thinking about you.''

''So I do have a biological child?''

''Yes, when Sam was a few months old, you did finally conceive a child. Maddie was born on March 4, 1997, just five months before the plane crash.''

''She's six now? Maddie…Maddie, the girl in the park, long, wispy dark hair? Round deep brown eyes? Sweet disposition?''

Kelsey handed Maria another picture, this one a picture of Maddie from the family dinner in August.

''This is her, I met her in the park one day. I thought she was lost and she told me she knew that she wasn't supposed to talk to strangers, but I didn't seem like a stranger, I looked like her Mommy and when I asked her where her Mommy was, she told me her Mommy was in Heaven, but her Mommy wasn't up in Heaven, she was standing right there in front of her. I was right there, talking with my own daughter and I didn't know it.''

''Maria, please don't be upset,'' Kelsey said.

''I—I've got to go, it's late.''

''Are you sure?''

''Yes, I need to sort out all of this. Thank you, thank you for everything, Kelsey.''

''Maria, I really can't tell you how great it is to have you here. I'm so happy that you're alive. Please don't hesitate to stop by again.''

''I won't. Goodnight.''

''Goodnight, Maria.'' 


	18. Chapter 18

A Place In the Sun

18 

_Maria clutched the baby in her arms so tightly as she rushed to the airport gate._

''Maria, Maria stop, you can't leave,'' a man yelled, running up to catch her.

''Edmund, you're coming with us? To Budapest?'' she asked, hugging him.

''No, we can't go. You cannot go.''

''I can't stay here, Edmund, she'll take Sam away,'' she said in tears.

''We'll work it all out, but not if you run.''

''No, no, no, no, she is not taking my baby. He is my son,'' she clutched the infant even tighter. ''She gave him up, he is my baby.''

''Maria, we both knew this could happen. She had six months to change her mind, we knew that, we took that chance.''

''She cannot have my baby.''

''Maria, we have to give him up.''

''No, no, Edmund, no.''

''Yes, Maria, we have to give him to Kelsey.''

''No, I won't, no.''

''Maria, give me Sam.''

''No, don't take my baby.''

''Let me have him.''

''No, no, don't take my baby, don't take my baby,'' she wailed.

''Maria, this hurts me, too, but the court said we have to give him up.''

''No, NO!'' she cried.

Somehow, Edmund was able to get the baby from her. Maria collapsed in a sobbing heap on the floor. Edmund could not think of the words to say to her; he walked away, trying to comfort Sam. 

Maria woke up the next morning with tears staining her face.

''Oh, God, that was awful…I've never had a dream where someone addressed me by name…if that really happened, Kelsey wasn't completely honest with me.''

She quickly got dressed and ran across the courtyard. 

...

Gillian looked over the menu at BJ's; Myrtle was watching Katalin for her. 

She waved to Dimitri as he entered the restaurant. When he reached her, he bent down and kissed the top of her head before sitting down.

''How is my favorite cousin doing?'' he asked.

''I am doing pretty good this morning, how about you?''

''Ahh, nothing new,'' he said, studying her face. ''Gilly, what's the matter?''

Gillian gasped as she saw a man get down from a bar stool and turn towards her, his eyes locking with her's. Ray walked straight towards the table as Gillian sat there frozen. When he got to the table, Ray ran his fingers through Gillian's hair and let out a cold laugh before continuing towards the door. As soon as the door closed, Gillian shuddered and turned back to Dimitri.

''That's what's wrong.''

...

Maria pounded on the door to Kelsey's apartment. ''Kelsey, are you there? Kelsey, I need to talk to you.''

After a few moments, Kelsey answered the door. ''I'm sorry, I was back in the bathroom getting ready. What's wrong, Maria?''

''Kelsey, I need you to tell me the truth. I had this dream last night-more like a nightmare-you took Sam back, tell me if I'm remembering the truth.''

''Um, well, come in, sit down,'' Kelsey said, sitting next to Maria on a box. ''Yes, I did take Sam away from you and Edmund, and that's the thing I'm most ashamed of.''

''Why, why would you do that? Do you know what pain you caused?''

''Yes, Maria. I know that now.''

''Tell me the whole story.''

Kelsey sighed before starting. ''When we signed the agreement for the adoption, there was a clause that gave me six months to change my mind. Sam was born in February, February 9th, so that gave me till July to change my mind. And in July, I decided I wanted him back, I wanted to raise him. Oh, I was so stupid back then, Maria. The night Edmund brought him to me at my grandparent's house, I had no clue how to take care of an infant.''

''Edmund took Sam away from me at the airport, that's what my dream was about.''

''Yes, you were trying to leave the country with Sam so that I couldn't have him. I was so selfish. I ended up marrying Bobby, and the whole time he was telling me how I was so wrong to have taken Sam away from the two of you. Bobby is the one who ended up giving Sam back. I messed up, I lost Sam at the airport; I knew I wasn't fit to raise him, and Bobby took Sam to Edmund, he signed away his parental rights, and Sammy was your's and Edmund's for good this time.''

''How long did you keep him away from us?''

''Bobby gave him back in October, so about three months.''

...

''Did you find us an apartment?'' Bobby asked Anita as they ate breakfast.

''Found a few that will do,'' Anita answered. ''Maybe I can see if we can go see them today together.''

''I can't today.''

''Why not?''

''Edmund called earlier while you were still asleep. He needed someone to take Sammy to his baseball practice this morning. Edmund's going to take Maddie over to Kelsey's and after Sam's practice, I'll take him over there and Kels is going to watch the kids until this evening. Edmund said he's really backed up at work. I figured when I took Sam over to Kelsey's apartment, I'd stay for a little while and help her unpack some more.''

''You know, Kelsey's a big girl, she doesn't need you to help her.''

''Can't I just be a friend to her without the third degree from you?''

''Bobby, we need to find a place to stay if we're going to stay here in Pine Valley.''

''Anita, give it a rest.''

''Bobby.''

''I probably won't be too long at Kelsey's, we can go this afternoon.''

Anita looked halfway content at this.

''Now, I have to get to Wildwind. I'll see you later.''

''I love you, baby, have fun.''

Bobby kissed the top her head and left.

Why didn't I say I loved her, back? Bobby thought as he left the hotel room.

... 

Maria stood up and went to the window, rubbing her temple with her right hand, her left hand on her hip, a look of confusion over what to do or say next on her face.

''But, Maria, you said you remembered this. That has to be a good thing, right?'' Kelsey said.

''I don't know, I mean, yes, it's wonderful to regain some of the memories of my past. But, it's like, I have trouble making the connection between me, then, and me, now. It's like the memories of things that happened to me were things that happened to some other person, in some other time. So disconnected.''

''Did you get checked out by a doctor?''

''Yes, shortly after I got to Pine Valley.''

''PVH?''

Maria nodded.

''I'm surprised no one recognized you there.''

''I did get a few strange looks, but no one said anything to me.''

''So what did the doctor say?''

''Nothing wrong other than the amnesia. And even that is going away, somewhat. The dream last night was the first really long segment of memory, but lately I've been having lots of flashes of things, that's how I ended up here in Pine Valley.''

Kelsey looked at her watch.

''Are you expecting someone?'' Maria asked her.

Kelsey nodded, ''Edmund's bringing Maddie over here soon. Bobby is spending the morning with Sam and then he's bringing him over here later.''

''I better leave, then,'' Maria said, turning to go.

''Maria-''

''No, Kelsey, I told you, when I'm ready, and not before.''

...

Dimitri looked at Gillian with a puzzled look.

''Remember how I told you I was driving the night of the accident because I had to get away from where I was and what was there? Well, that was Ray. Kata and I were living with him and he was awful to us, it's a long story and I really don't feel like getting into it.''

Dimitri nodded.

''Well, last night he showed up at Myrtle's,'' Gillian continued. ''I thought I had gotten away from him, but he tracked us down here; I do not know what he wants from me, he says he wants money, but he knows that I do not have any and I do not think that is what it is really, he wants me to be his woman to wait on him day and night and to listen to him unconditionally while he uses me as his personal punching bag and uses my baby as leverage against me!''

Dimitri takes her hands from across the table. ''There's something more, isn't there?''

''You know me too well, Dimi. Right after Ray left last night, Ryan came ov er a he knew about Ray and he comforted me and it was so wonderful to have him hold me. And then Ryan asked me to move in with him so he could keep me safe, and I told him no. I'm not ready to tell him about Katalin yet, I do not want him to be mad at me. When we were going to sleep last night, Kata turned to me and asked me again when I was going to tell her Daddy about her. She knows that Ryan is her father, and she knows that I have seen him several times since we have been in Pine Valley; she wants her Daddy and I feel awful keeping him from her, but I just am not ready to tell Ryan yet!''

''Tell Ryan what?'' Ryan asked as he walked up to their table. 


	19. Chapter 19

A Place In the Sun

19

"Tell Ryan what?" Ryan asked as he walked up to their table.

Gillian gasped and turned to face him, realizing he'd heard what she said. "How long have you been standing there?"

"Just a few seconds. Princess, what's wrong, what can't you tell me?"

Gillian looked at Dimitri, flustered, and then turned back to Ryan, "Well, it was going to be a surprise, but I guess I just messed that up."

"You can still surprise me," he told her with a grin.

"Um, okay, can you come to Myrtle's tomorrow, about seven-thirty?"

"I'll see you then. I've got to meet a client, so I'd better go. Nice seeing you both, bye."

"Goodbye, Ryan."

"I don't think he suspects a thing," Dimitri told her once Ryan had left.

"I hate this. Now I am obligated to plan something for tomorrow evening, I mean, not that I mind spending the time with him, of course, but I really hate this lying to him!"

"Then don't."

"What?"

"Lie to him."

Gillian paused. "Maybe I will tell him tomorrow night."

"Good idea."

"Will you watch Katalin for me then?"

"Don't' you think he'll want to meet her when you tell him?"

Gillian shook her head, "No, I do not want her there. If he gets mad at me, I do not want her to be there. I know that Ryan is a reasonable man most of the time, but he does have a temper some times, and if he gets mad at me and he yells, I don't want her to hear. She has listened to Ray yell for nearly four years and she has learned to be very afraid of him and the very last thing that I want is for my daughter to be afraid of her father. I cannot risk that."

... 

There was a knock on Kelsey's door. She looked over at Maddie, who was happily coloring, and then went to answer it. She peeked through the curtains and saw that it was Bobby and Sam.

"Sammy! Hey! How was practice?" she asked after opening the door.

"Great!" he smiled.

"Your sister is in there coloring, why don't you go join her."

Once Sam had left, Kelsey turned to Bobby.

"Bobby, thank goodness you're here," she said, hugging him.

"Kels, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, oh God, really. It's just wonderful."

"What is it?"

"Can we go outside and play?" Maddie asked.

"Sure, just stay where we can see you," Kelsey told them.

They watched the kids go out to the courtyard.

"Kelsey?"

"What? Oh! Gosh, I'm sure she'll have my head for this, but I just have to tell someone. Bobby, you know how a couple of weeks ago at BJs, I said I thought I saw someone who looked like Maria?"

"Yeah, I guess I remember."

"Well, I did, I did see someone who looked like Maria, only it wasn't just someone who looked like her."

"What are you trying to say?"

"Bobby, she's alive. Maria is alive. And here in Pine Valley. Right here, in fact, in that apartment across from mine."

... 

Julia and Tyler walked through the park early that afternoon, his arm around her waist.

"How'd you sleep last night?" he asked her.

"Better after I'd talked to you," she said, resting her head on his shoulder and snuggling a little.

"Same here," he smiled.

"When's your next performance?"

"Friday."

"Where?"

"Hal's, he just keeps asking me back! He said he never turns a profit like he does when I'm up on that stage. I told him I was flattered; as long as he wants me to be there I'll take the job."

"Hal's is a good crowd."

"Any crowd is good as long as you're in it."

Julia blushed a little as they sat down on a park bench.

"Are you going to come?" he asked.

"Would I miss it for the world?"

"I'll take that as a yes," he said. "Hey, you want to do something else tomorrow?"

"Sure, what'd you have in mind?"

"I heard about this great karaoke bar downtown."

"Can't get away from singing, can you?"

"Thought this would give you a chance to sing something."

"Ha, you don't want to hear me sing."

"No, I'm sure you're wonderful."

Julia looked at her watch, "Oh, I've got to be at the hospital in an hour, we better get going."

"Okay, so tomorrow night?"

"Sure, pick me up at seven?" she said as they took each other's hand.

"Julia," he said, holding up her left hand. "You took off your wedding ring."

She nodded, "Last night after you called."

"Are you sure you're ready?"

"Yes, yes, it's been three years and I don't think it's right to be building a relationship and still wear the rings."

"It's a big step."

"I-I know. But I'm ready, ready to move on. With you."

Tyler was caught a little off guard by that, but took a deep breath as he processed that what she just said was exactly what he wanted.

"I'm so proud of you, Julia," he said, kissing the top of her head.

...

"What? Kelsey, are you sure?" Bobby asked.

"Positive. She came over here last night asking about the plane crash. Bobby, she has amnesia, that's why she didn't come back sooner. The landlord told her I used to live here back when the crash occurred, so that's why she came to me. She's gotten a little of her memory back; that's how she found her way back to Pine Valley. She asked me questions and I filled her in on some things, including Sammy, which she of course wasn't happy with me about. And then this morning, she came knocking on my door furious with me. She had a dream last night where she remembered when I took Sammy away from her, you know, when Edmund found her at the airport trying to take Sam to Budapest? I tried to convince her to go to Edmund and her family, but she refused."

Bobby didn't say anything, but he went outside and sat on a bench.

"What, Bobby?" Kelsey asked, sitting next to him.

He put his head in his hands for a moment and then sat up. "It's just all so hard to believe."

"Well, believe it."

"Which apartment is her's?"

"Right across, 6C."

Inside her apartment, Maria looks out the window and watches her children playing.

"When her family finds out…"

"Bobby, you can't tell Anita." 

"What? Are you trying to get me to put the final nail in my marriage's coffin?"

Kelsey looks shocked. "Are things really that bad?"

"Just about. The excitement is gone, ever since we've been back in Pine Valley. I've felt so distant and out of touch with Anita. We've been here, what, about two months? I know all relationships get their rough spots, but it just doesn't seem like there's a light at the end of the tunnel, right now."

"We were all rough spots."

"We were young and stupid."

"That's for sure," Kelsey laughed. "Do you ever think about what if we'd met later?"

Bobby thought for a moment, "Sammy wouldn't be here."

"Guess you're right. But what about us? Do you think our relationship would have been different?"

Bobby laughed, "I don't know—or rather, don't want to know—what you're getting at, but I'll answer anyway. If the two of us wouldn't have met when we were teenagers and didn't have Sam and didn't get married and annulled and all of that mess, we'd both be very different people."

"Oh, gosh, I'd still be that petty, spoiled little brat."

"Hey, who's to say you aren't still?" he teased.

"Hey!" she said, hitting his arm. "Anyway…I'm glad that we can still be friends after everything that's happened."

"Me, too."

"Uh-oh, don't look now," Kelsey said, seeing Anita walking toward them.

"Guess that's my cue that it's time to leave," he said. "Hey Sammy, come here."

Sam came over and Bobby bent down to his height. 

"I've got to go with your Aunt Anita now. You have fun with Kelsey and your sister, okay?"

Sam nodded.

"You ready?" Anita asked Bobby when she reached him. 


	20. Chapter 20

A Place In the Sun

20

The morning was chilly as Ryan walked an all too familiar path. He held a single white rose in his hand.

As he approached his destination, he could see a woman kneeling. His feet crunched the leaves on the ground, fallen from the trees. She heard this and turned around, standing up. 

"Ryan," she said softly.

"You look like you didn't expect me."

"No, it wasn't that…it's been four years, and every year we end up here at the same time." 

"In the dawn, it just feels so peaceful here."

Ryan walked past her to the small headstone. A row of hearts decorated the top of it, and underneath was engraved the name Joanna Christine Lavery, and a lone date, October 23, 1999. Ryan set the rose next to the pink one that Hayley had brought. He rested his hand on the top of the headstone and bowed his head for a few seconds.

"I know what you mean," she said, looking down at the ground as he stood up and stepped toward her.

Ryan lifted her chin, noticing her red and swollen eyes, and wiped away a tear on her cheek, "Hayley, something else is bothering you."

She shook her head. "It must be that Max is here this year. The wound feels more open." 

He pulled her into a hug and asked, "What about Mateo?" 

Hayley pulled away, sniffling and wiping her eyes, "Mateo, he's just been great, you know? The perfect husband. What else could he possibly be? He knows that I'm not comfortable around Max, but Max is his son and he's just a kid, after all, so he has to love him. He's not trying to force the issue with me and Max, but I know that he wishes that I would just forgive Max, but nothing, nothing will change what happened. Nothing can heal the hole in my heart, nothing can bring Joanna back." 

"I know, Hayley, God, I know," he said. "Don't think that there's a day that goes by that I don't think of her."

"Ryan, you are the only person who understands," she said with a deep sadness in her voice. 

"Hayley, you know that if you ever need someone, you can come to me." 

"I know, I know. I'm going to go to a meeting this evening, and I even have an appointment with Dr. Vicks tomorrow."

"Really? I didn't know you were still seeing her." 

"Yeah, I wasn't for a while, but after I found out that Max was coming here, I decided to go again." 

"That's good that you're taking care of yourself," he said, giving her a hug. 

Hayley wiped her eyes and told him, "I better get going, Mateo's expecting me at the club." 

"This early?"

"We're finishing up plans for Rosa and Tim's engagement party, did you hear about that?" 

"No, that's great, they're getting married!" 

"Yeah, the party's next Saturday evening, you should come, and bring Gillian with you." 

"Are you sure? We're not family or anything." 

"Absolutely, you've known the two of them for ages." 

"Okay, I'll just have to check with Gillian, thanks for inviting us." 

"Bye, Ryan." 

"Bye, Hayley." 

Maria again watched from her front window as Maddie and Sam played in the courtyard between her apartment and Kelsey's. 

_October 22, 2003_

Maddie. Madeline Flora Grey. Why? Why is this so hard? Remembering my life…she's my little girl, my beautiful little girl. Maybe if I get some sleep…

She reread what she's written the night before. But, it didn't seem any clearer now than it had then.

"Sammy!" she heard Maddie shriek. Maria quickly turned her head to see what Maddie was fussing about. She saw the ball they'd been tossing back and forth up on the roof, lodged against some ivy that was growing up a trellis. 

"I'll go get Kelsey," Sam said, heading towards the door.

"Don't bother her, I'll get it," Maddie told her brother.

Maria gasped and grabbed her phone to call and warn Kelsey, but Kelsey didn't pick up. 

She looked out at Maddie, nearing the top of the trellis. As Maddie reached for the ball, she could tell her footing wasn't good; Maria's heart pounded in her chest as she heard Sammy telling her over and over again to get down.

Maria picked up the phone to try Kelsey again when she heard Maddie scream. By the time Maria was out the door, Maddie was already lying on the ground, motionless.

Gillian lit two candles on a small round table in her bedroom and adjusted the two chairs she'd placed on either side of it. Dimitri had picked up Katalin about an hour earlier, which had given Gillian just enough time to put away any of Kata's things lying around the room and to put the finishing touches on the dinner she'd made for Ryan and herself.

"Gillian?" she heard Myrtle say from outside her door. Gillian crossed the room and opened it.

"Yes?"

"Ryan's here, he's waiting downstairs. Would you like me to send him up or do you need a few more minutes?"

"Everything's ready up here. Thank you, Myrtle."

"For what, dear?" she asked, as Gillian hugged her.

"Oh, just everything. For helping me put together this dinner. For not telling Ryan about Katalin."

"It isn't my place to tell him something like that, it should come from you. But Gillian, you've been here for a couple of months now; you really should think about telling him, before you get too involved. The two of you are meant to be together, but secrets can destroy the best of relationships."

"Thank you for the advice. I am going to tell him. Maybe even tonight."

"Well, good luck. Now I'll go and get him; have a good evening." 

Gillian watched Myrtle go down the hall to the stairs and then turned back into the room. She set out the two plates she'd arranged down in the kitchen and was about to go back to the door when she heard a knock.

"Princess?" Ryan said, putting his head through the door.

"Ryan!" she said, giving him a hug. "Come, sit down."

They both took a chair at the table. 

"Wow, this looks really good, Gillian," Ryan said, looking at the food sitting out. "You must've really picked up some cooking skills in your years away." 

Gillian smiled, "I will admit, though, that I had some help from Myrtle. Go ahead, try it." 

Ryan did as she said. "Mmm, this is good."

"Really?" taking a bite of her own. "So, how are you? 

"I'm doing okay, I guess," he said, looking down at his plate.

"You look sort of tired, like you had a hard day."

Ryan nodded, not looking up. They sat in silence for several minutes. Gillian noticed that he wasn't eating much, just pushing the food around the plate; then, she saw a single tear roll down his face.

"Ryan, what is wrong?" she asked, laying down her fork and putting her napkin on the table. She stood up and went around to his side, laying a hand on his shoulder.

"This isn't your problem so you shouldn't have to deal with it. Let's just eat."

"No, Ryan, you are obviously upset about something. You can tell me anything, you know that," Gillian winced at how hypocritical that really was.

"I probably shouldn't have even come tonight," Ryan said, standing up to leave.

"Ryan."

"I should go."

"No, stay. Ryan, you've picked me up and put me back together so many times, now let me do the same for you."

"Maddie!" Maria yelled as she ran toward her daughter. She knelt down beside her and stroked her face, "Maddie, open your eyes, baby, open your eyes."

Maddie's eyes fluttered open and she looked up at Maria.

"Mama," she whispered. "Am I in heaven?"

"No, no, baby, you're just fine," Maria told her. "Kelsey! Kelsey, come here!"

"Yeah, I am okay," Maddie said, starting to sit up.

"No, don't move, Maddie," Maria told her.

"No, I'm fine," Maddie insisted, standing up. "Whoa," she said, holding her head. 

"Are you dizzy?

"A little bit," she said, sitting down in Maria's lap.

"What happened?" Kelsey asked, running outside.

"Maddie fell," Sam told her.

"Weren't you supposed to be watching them, Kels? I tried to call you to tell you what they were doing, but you didn't answer the phone!"

"I'm sorry, I was on the other line, it was a very important phone call."

"More important than the children?"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Maria. Is Maddie alright?"

"For the most part. But I think you should get her to the hospital. I think she did lose consciousness for a few moments, and she did a pretty good number on her elbow, here. Maddie, can you straighten your arm?"

Maddie straightened her arm.

"Does it hurt?"

"A little bit, but not like it's broken."

"Oh, you have experience?" Maria asked.

Sam nodded, "Daddy calls her 'Daddy's Little Daredevil'."

Maria laughed. "Okay, but in all seriousness, you really should have Maddie checked out. Sammy can stay here with me."

"What should I tell Edmund?" Kelsey asked. "Is it okay to tell him that you're here, now?" 

"No," Maria said, forcefully. "No, just tell him you left Sam with your neighbor, which you did, so you're no lying to him. Just tell him you weren't paying good enough attention to the kids, but say nothing about me."

"Okay, okay, I don't feel like pushing the subject with you right now," Kelsey said, taking Maddie from Maria. "Sammy, will you be okay to stay here with Maria-I mean-your mom?" 

Sammy nodded, but kept his eyes on Maria, as they had been since she'd come out of the apartment.

"Okay, I'll come by and get you later, 'kay?" Kelsey said.

Sam nodded again and then took Maria's hand as they went into her apartment. 

Ryan sighed and went reluctantly with Gillian to the bed and sat down beside her. 

"Now, tell me, what is the matter?" she asked him. 

He ran his hand through his hair before speaking. "I didn't even think of this being an issue between us, because I really didn't think about the fact that you probably don't know." 

"Know what?" 

"You know that before you left, when we were separated, I'd been involved with Hayley, right?" 

"Yes." 

"She was going through all of that stuff with Raquel and Max. Well, after the divorce was final, we were both hurting so much…Gillian, she got pregnant, with my child." 

"Oh," Gillian said, looking down at her lap. 

"Max was jealous; things were getting better between Hayley and Mateo and he'd promised to raise the baby with her. But that didn't matter; Hayley was alone with Max one afternoon when she was about six months pregnant and Max somehow got a gun and he shot her." 

"Oh my God! That's awful!" 

"He shot her in the shoulder, but it caused her to go into labor prematurely and the doctors weren't able to stop it. So our daughter was born, but it was just too early for her." 

"I'm so sorry, Ryan." 

"We'd already picked out a name, Joanna Christine. She was born down in the ER and I held her up for Hayley to see before Hayley went to the OR for surgery. I held Joanna waiting for Hayley to come back from surgery, but the doctors had already told me that Joanna probably wouldn't live long enough. She didn't. I had about an hour with her," he said, wiping his face with his hands. 

"Today is her birthday?" 

Ryan nodded, "Yeah." 

She used her thumb to wipe his tears and kissed him before giving Ryan a hug. 

"If you'd rather just be alone, I'd understand," she told him 

"Really, more than any other place I could be in this world, I want to be right here with you." 

He kissed her passionately as they fell backward onto the bed, cradling each other in their arms. 

... 

"Here you go," Tyler said, sitting down at a table with Julia and handing her a drink. 

"Thank you," she smiled. 

"So, you have you picked out your first song yet?" 

"First song? You'll be lucky to get one out of me!" 

"Aww, what's the fun in that!" 

"I've just got to find the perfect…" she said, looking through a song list. 

"How about this one?" he said point out one. "Or this?" 

She shook her head. "Okay, I've got it," she grinned. Julia jumped up to the stage and told the guy running the karaoke which song and headed for the microphone. 

"You always get to say this, so now it's my turn," Julia said, looking straight at Tyler. "This is for you, Tyler." 

I laid down the blanket there on the shoreline  
And saw the water shine with the moon  
What kind of fool would fail to notice  
The best thing shining was you

Oh I laughed kinda nervous  
I felt you move closer  
And felt the world unwind  
Once was a stranger not quite a lover  
But steadily crossing the line

Carry me far away  
Don't hold back, I won't break  
Leave the ghosts behind  
All I know wrong or right  
Just the thought of this night  
Will get me every time  
Every time

Well the voice in my head said what  
Are you doing  
I thought not listening to you  
You see I'm taking a chance  
I'm thinking about flying  
Over the blue

And it's crazy to be this out of practice  
And have it all come so naturally  
Don't you love knocking logic right off its axis  
And watch it float far out to sea

Carry me far away  
Don't hold back, I won't break  
Leave the ghosts behind  
All I know wrong or right  
Just the thought of this night  
Will get me every time  
Every time

So, now here I am reading my fortune  
In the winding lines of your hand  
Oh and I see a lost unwanted orphan  
Head right for the promise land  
Carry me far away  
I won't, I won't break

Carry me far away  
Don't hold back, I won't break  
Leave the ghosts behind  
All I know wrong or right  
Just the thought of this night  
Will get me every time  
Every time

Everyone clapped for her as she returned to her seat beside Tyler.

He leaned in for a kiss before he told her, "That was beautiful. See?"

"You would probably tell me that I did great even if I sounded like fingernails on a blackboard."

"Nah, I'm being honest," he said, kissing her again. 

She smiled, caressing his face. "Well, thank you." 

"So, 'steadily crossing the line'?" 

She nodded.

"My place?" he continued.

She grinned and nodded again. They stood and headed for the door, arms wrapped around each other's waists.

... 

Maria and Sam went inside; Sam sat down in a chair while Maria went into the kitchen area. 

"Would you like something to drink, or eat, Sam?" Maria asked him. 

"Are you really my mom?" he asked her, still staring. 

Maria went over to him, but as she reached for him, he shrank back. 

"Sammy…" 

"My mom is dead," he said, looking at the floor. "She's been dead for years. She died in a plane crash. Daddy and Brooke, they couldn't save her." 

"Sam, I survived, I don't know how, but I did. It wasn't easy, but I made it." 

"It took you long enough," he muttered, looking down. 

"I'm sorry, I really am. I wish I could have been there for you." 

"Then why weren't you?" 

"I was hurt really badly. I didn't remember anything, Sam. I didn't even remember my own name till I came back to Pine Valley. Baby, you have to believe me, if I would have remembered I never would have stayed away so long." 

Sam looked up at her, "You remember now?" 

"Some. But, of course, I remember you as a little one year old baby, and you've gotten so big now," she said, taking his hands. "Such a handsome young man." 

Sammy hesitantly reached towards her-it looked like he was testing her to make sure she was real. Finally he embraced her and Maria hugged him back, kissing the top of his head. 

"We've missed you so much!" Sam told her. His face turned serious, "Why did you tell Kelsey not to say anything about you to Daddy? Don't you want to come be with us?" 

"It's not that, believe me, it's not that at all. But like I told you, I lost my memory, and I still don't remember much. When I remember more, maybe soon, then I can be with you and Maddie and your Dad. But until then, you can't tell anyone that you've seen me, do you understand? Do you promise that you won't tell?" Maria said this with tears in her eyes, torn between what she knew to be her life in the present, and the few memories she had of her past. 

"Okay, I promise," he said, reluctantly. 

"Thank you," she said, hugging him again. "Don't you ever doubt how much I love you." 


	21. Chapter 21

A Place In the Sun

21 ''Did what just happened really happen?'' Gillian asked the next morning, laying in her bed with Ryan by her side. Ryan looked around. ''I think so.'' ''We shouldn't,'' Gillian said, searching for her clothes and hurriedly putting them on. ''What?'' Ryan asked, pulling on his pants. ''We always-we mess things up.'' ''We did not just spend all night comforting each other and making love to turn back now.'' ''Ryan, we have hurt each other so many times, I do not want that to happen again.'' ''Then don't. We won't let it.'' ''It does not matter our intentions, it happens.'' ''Last night you didn't think that. Last night you fixed me a romantic dinner. Last night our past didn't matter.'' ''Maybe I was not thinking.'' ''Exactly, you did what your heart told you to and you didn't think twice before spending the night with me in your bed.'' ''Well, maybe I should have. Maybe you should just leave now.'' ''Where is this coming from, Princess?'' ''Just leave, Ryan, I need to think about…all of this.'' He looked at her, searching for something to say. Finally he sighed. ''Fine, I'll give you your space,'' he said, buttoning his shirt. Without another word, he left the room. Gillian picked up a pillow and threw it at the door, tears already in her eyes. ''Why, why, why, why?'' she asked herself. ''Why, Gillian?'' she asked, looking in the mirror. ''Why, you know you love him, you know that every bone in your body aches for him when he is not here. You know there is not a day, or even a minute, that goes by that you did not wish that he were right here by your side helping you raise your daughter. You know you love him, you know you love him…. you know you're scared. You know you are scared out of your mind that he will hate you. That he will not ever be able to look at you again without seeing all that you kept from him, all that you took from him. You are afraid.'' ''Did what just happened really happen?'' Julia asked Tyler. Tyler looked around. ''I think so.'' ''I don't want to ever move from this spot,'' she said, her head resting on his bare chest. ''I think I could manage with that,'' Tyler said. ''But then, I know at least one of us has a steady job she might have to show up at.'' ''What, we can't live on love alone?'' Julia asked. ''Ah, we might need to eat eventually, maybe pay for this roof over our heads.'' ''What fun is that,'' she said, giggling. ''That's life.'' ''I think I've had enough of life for one lifetime.'' ''We don't have to go back to the real world yet, you know.'' ''Good,'' she said, kissing him. Maria's phone rang unexpectedly. ''Hello?'' ''Mama?'' she heard a young voice on the other line. ''Maddie?'' ''Kelsey gave me your number. Sammy told me about everything you talked about. I don't like it, but it's okay. We're not going to tell Daddy.'' ''Thank you, Maddie. How are you?'' ''I'm okay, Mama, really I am. My head hurts a little bit, and it stung when Dr. Jake cleaned the scrape on my elbow, but that's it.'' ''You should get some rest today, take it easy.'' ''I'm fine! Daddy's already hovering all over me and he told me I have to stay home instead of going over to Uncle Mateo and Aunt Hayley's to play with Lili and Chris with Sam. It's not fair.'' ''Sounds right to me.'' ''Uh! You're not fair, either!'' ''I only want you to feel better.'' ''That's what Daddy said.'' ''That's because Daddy loves you.'' ''And you love me, too?'' Maddie didn't hear Edmund approaching her. ''Yes, of course, baby.'' ''I wish you could come here to us right now.'' ''Soon, Maddie.'' ''It won't be soon enough for me.'' ''It won't be long.'' ''I love you, Mommy.'' ''I love you, too.'' ''Bye,'' Maddie said, hanging up the phone. She turned around and almost ran into her father. ''Talking to your mom on the phone again?'' he asked. ''Umm…yeah,'' she said, trying to skirt past him. ''I thought you had stopped that, Maddie,'' he said, sitting down and pulling her into his lap. ''I just wanted to talk to her.'' ''I know, sweetie, but you know that your mom isn't really there, right? You don't need the phone to talk to her.'' ''But-'' Maddie was about to protest that her mom really was on the phone, but remembered she couldn't tell. ''You're right, I know. I just wish-I wish I really could talk to her.'' ''I know you do. And you know, sometimes I wish I could, too, but you know she can hear us anytime we want to talk to her.'' ''I know, Daddy. Love you.'' ''I love you, too. Now, you need to get back to bed, young lady.'' ''But Daddy-'' ''No 'but's about it. You're going to get some rest, you gave me quite a scare last night.'' ''But I'm fine!'' ''And we're going to make sure of that by you resting all day. Or do you not want me and Peggy to treat you like a little princess today?'' ''Is Peggy going to make me my favorite cookies?'' Maddie's eyes got wide with anticipation. ''I bet she will if you ask her.'' ''Okay!'' she said, running down the hall to her room. Edmund laughed as he watched her. ''Maria, she is so much like you,'' he said quietly. Hayley didn't acknowledge Mateo as he walked in the door. ''Kids, your cartoons are on in the den,'' she said to Lili and Chris; the twins promptly ran from the kitchen. Clearing the table, she flatly said, ''You know, if you're not going to come home at night, I'd at least like a warning.'' ''I'm sorry.'' ''That ain't enough, Mateo.'' ''I wish it was,'' he said, taking off his coat. ''I go to bed and you're not home yet. And when I wake up and you're still not beside me in bed, how am I supposed to feel?'' ''It's always about how you feel.'' Hayley threw the dishes in her hand into the sink, ''Well excuse me for being sad because yesterday was the anniversary of my daughter's death.'' ''And everyone that came into the club yesterday that ever knew about Joanna, all asking me 'how is Hayley?', not one 'how are you, Mateo?'. Not even from you.'' ''You've never shown one ounce of emotion about her before! And where were you all night?'' she picked up a washcloth and started scrubbing furiously on the table. ''Mostly driving around…and I went to visit her.'' ''Joanna?'' Hayley asked in disbelief, stopping and staring at him. Mateo nodded. ''You never…'' she said, shaking her head. ''I know. But yesterday…I had to,'' Mateo said, sitting down. ''Why didn't you just tell me?'' ''I've never felt that I-I had a right to feel anything, you know? She wasn't my daughter. But she was, we were going to raise her. It seems like all that was forgotten, though, with how everything happened.'' ''Mateo, why didn't you ever tell me about this before?'' ''Like I said, I didn't really feel it was my place.'' ''But you're right Mateo, she was going to be your daughter, just as much as any of the rest of us,'' she said, stroking his face. He took hold of her hand and kissed it. 


	22. Chapter 22

A Place In the Sun

22

Ryan walked into SOS and went straight for the bar, ordered himself a drink and stared into it.

''Life treating you that bad?'' Hayley asked, sitting next to him.

''Hey Hayley, how're you doing?''

''I'm doing great.''

''Things with you and Mateo?''

''Better than ever. Ryan, he went to visit Joanna. We had a great talk about it all the other day.''

''Really? Wow, that's great for you two.''

''Now back to you since you're avoiding the subject a little.''

''Nothing's going on.''

''Which is probably the main problem.''

''How'd you guess?''

''Let me take another guess: Gillian.''

''You got it,'' he said, turning the other direction.

Hayley got out of her seat and walked behind Ryan, sitting in the seat on the other side of him.

''Do you want to talk about it?''

''Not really.''

''Well I figured as much. You're not involved at all with Tracy anymore, are you?''

''No, haven't spoken to her in weeks. Don't care to either, the only woman I want to be with is Gillian.''

''But she doesn't want to be with you? That's crazy, Ryan. She's holding back, she has to be.''

''What do you know?'' he asked her.

''I was over at Wildwind the other day, taking Sam home, she was there and she was talking with Dimitri. I didn't hear their whole conversation or anything, but I heard your name.''

''Doesn't mean anything,'' he said, flatly.

''Ryan, what happened? Didn't you see her a couple of nights ago?''

''Yeah, I did.''

''So?''

''I don't understand her, Hayley. I don't get it.''

''Get what?''

''I used to know her inside out, now I don't know what she's going to do from one second to the next.''

''What'd she do?''

''Hayley, we spent all night together, all night. Then when we woke up in the morning, she flipped out. She said she couldn't do it and she wanted me to leave.''

''Wow…''

''So the past few days I've been just driving and walking around trying to make sense of it.''

''Look who just walked in…''

Gillian crossed to a table and looked over a menu.

She looked up to see that Ryan had taken the seat across from her.

''I've been wanting to talk to you,'' he said.

''Ry-Ryan, I can explain.''

''No, it's okay.''

''No, it is all my fault.''

''What do you mean?''

''I haven't been honest with you…the reason I acted the way I did is because I have been keeping something from you.''

''What, Princess?''

''Ryan, we have a daughter.''

''Hi, my name is Tracy, what can I get for you today?'' Tracy asked her.

Gillian sat up straight, startled, realizing that she was in fact alone at the table.

''I'll just have a coke.''

Tracy wrote down her order and looked around before going back to the back room. 

She picked up the phone and dialed quickly.

''Hey, I just thought you'd like to know she's here at SOS.'' 

Tyler walked into the ER with a pained look on his face, his hands crossed holding his chest.

Julia, who was at the computer, saw him and rushed to his side.

''What's wrong? What happened?'' she asked.

''Well, Nurse, I've got this pain in my chest and it's just not going away,'' he smiled.

''Then we better take a look at you right away!'' she said, catching on, guiding him to an exam room.

He lay down on the bed and looked up at her with wide eyes. 

''What is the pain like?''

''It's this empty ache.''

''And when did the symptoms begin?''

''I guess a few days ago. At first it only hurt a little bit, and it just got worse and worse.''

''Have you been under the influence of any drugs?''

''Only love,'' he smiled.

She put on a stethoscope and listened to his chest. ''Wow, your heart is racing.''

''It does tend to do that at certain times.''

''Like when?''

''When I'm in the presence of a certain person. Do you think the pain has to do with her?''

''Well, when's the last time you've seen her?''

''Three days or so?''

''About the time the symptoms began?''

''As a matter of fact, yes.''

''Hmmm…''

''So what's the bottom line, am I going to live?''

''I think so. And the treatment is very very simple.''

''Yeah?''

''I think you just need one of these,'' she said, kissing him.

''Wow, I think it's working.''

''Maybe another,'' she kissed him again.

''One more?''

She smiled and did as he asked.

''Where have you been?'' Anita asked as Bobby walked into the apartment.

''Work,'' he said, hanging his coat in the closet.

''You didn't tell me you had to go in today.''

''Yes, I did tell you. Last night at dinner.''

''I don't remember that.''

''Well, I did tell you.''

''What are we going to do tonight?''

''We are not going to do anything. At least until I'm finished all the work I brought home.''

''Can't it wait?''

''No, Anita.''

''All you ever do practically is work.''

''One of us has to make some money to support us.''

''What are you trying to say?''

''What I'm trying to say is that if you're going to spend money the way you do, you should find yourself a job.''

Anita gave him a pouty look. ''What about this weekend?''

''I thought we were going to your sister's engagement party.''

''Oh, you're actually going to go?''

''Why wouldn't I?''

''You're not staying with Kelsey to watch Sam and Maddie or something like that that you're always doing?''

''Geez, Anita, you act like I spend every waking moment with her, you know that we're just friends. And yes, Kelsey is going to be at the party, which I know was going to be your next question.''

''Why? What interest does she have in being there?''

''Rosa invited her. Sounds like a good enough reason to me.''

''You would think that with everything she did to this family that they'd want nothing to do with her.''

''She's changed, Anita, and you just refuse to see that. Kelsey's grown up a lot since we graduated high school; maybe you should do the same.''

Anita stared at him in shock.

''I've gotta go.''

''You just got home. You said you have work to do.''

''I just remembered that I told Opal I'd go visit her tonight.''

''Well I'll come with you.''

''Anita…'' he said shaking his head and putting his coat back on. He walked out without another word. 


	23. Chapter 23

A Place In the Sun

23

Maria flipped through a picture album that Kelsey had taken from Wildwind.

She had brought her a couple of albums of the children, but this one was of her wedding. There were plenty of pictures of her in her beautiful dress and lace veil, standing beside Edmund.

"Oh, I wish I could remember…" she said out loud.

"I love you, more than anything else in this world," she heard inside her head. She looked around to make sure there was no one else in the room. The voice sent chills down her spine.

She flipped ahead a few pages and saw herself posing with another woman, a little younger than herself.

"I know this woman…"

Maria and Julia walked out of the trauma room, in shock.

Isabella looked to them for an answer, but seeing their faces, her tears poured over.

"I'm sorry, Mama," Maria said, holding her mother.

"Mama, we did everything we could…" Julia said, hugging the both of them.

Later on, Maria sat alone with Julia.

"It's all my fault, Maria," Julia said.

"Julia…"

"No, they were trying to hurt me. It was my car. They wanted to kill me and instead Papa is the one who died."

"Julia, it wasn't your fault. The fault lies in the people who did this."

"But if it wasn't for me—"

"No, stop it. Don't blame yourself."

"Maria, you know it's true."

"No, Julia. If it's anybody's fault, it's mine."

"Maria—"

"I'm a doctor; I couldn't save him."

"We did everything we could—"

"But that wasn't good enough. Papa died, I didn't do enough to save him."

"As a doctor, you know full well that sometimes patients are gone before they even get to you."

"It's just I've never tried so hard to save someone before," Maria said, wiping away her tears.

"It is so hard to believe he's gone," Julia said, looking up at Maria with wide eyes.

Maria hugged her younger sister as they both cried.

"Julia…my sister…I've seen her," Maria said, grabbing her journal and flipping furiously through the pages.

She landed on a page from when she first came to Pine Valley.

"She's the woman from the hotel, the one who fainted when she saw me."

She turned the page in the album and found a picture of her with all her siblings.

"That's Julia…Rosa…Anita…Mateo…" she said, amazed at how she suddenly was able to pull all of those names out of her head. "Is that right?"

She pulled the picture from the book and turned it over, hoping there was something on the back. Sure enough, there it was, all the names and the date.

"Wow…"

She stood up, excited, and looked across the courtyard, hoping to see a light on in Kelsey's apartment so she could share her happiness, but it was dark.

"Gillian? Gillian Andrassy? Or is it Lavery?" Kelsey asked when she spotted Gillian at SOS.

"Kelsey? Wow, it is so great to see you!" she said, giving Kelsey a hug. "And it's Andrassy."

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that," she said as they both sat down. "What happened?"

"Kels, you know Ryan and I got married for all the wrong reasons. It just did not work out."

"But I thought the two of you were really in love. I mean, not when you got married, but afterwards."

"Things just are not that simple. But how about you? Jake told me you are interning at the hospital, how is that going?"

"It's going pretty well. It is a lot of work and all, but for the most part I enjoy it. I'm glad to get to work with my grandparents and Jake."

"Anything else interesting happening? Did you meet anyone in med school?"

"No…"

"But?"

"Gillian, I should know this is wrong, but you can't just get rid of your feelings."

"Boy do I know that!"

"Then I don't know what to do…"

"Who is it?"

"You know how I was married to Sam's father, Bobby, right? I think that you moved here after all of that happened." Gillian nodded. "Bobby came back to Pine Valley a couple of months ago and we have spent time together with Sam and Maddie, and I'm finding it very, very hard to be around him as just a friend."

"Bobby is married, right? To one of Mateo's sisters, Anita?"

"Yeah, but from what I've seen, they're not exactly all too happy together anymore. It's really hard for me because I really don't want to do anything that would make it look like my fault if the two of them broke up. I already got labeled as a home wrecker because of all the awful things I did to Maria and I know that was years ago but in a small town like this, people really don't forget too easily. It's great that we can still be friends after all we've been through, but…"

"You still want more? Kelsey, I completely understand. I know that I cannot be just friends with Ryan. It is too hard to go back when you have seen what it is like to have more."

"Then why aren't the two of you together? Neither of you are seeing anyone, are you?"

"No."

"That's not true, now is it, Gilli?" Ray said, inviting himself to their table and sitting down.

"What are you doing here? I want you to leave."

"Can't do that. Well, unless you're coming with me."

"Gillian, who is this?" Kelsey asked. Gillian shot her a look.

"Who's the blonde?" Ray asked.

"She's a friend."

"Did I approve her?"

"Ray, I am not with you anymore. We do not live together and you do not control my life. Now, I want you to leave," Gillian said, her voice getting progressively louder.

Ryan heard her and crossed the room to her table. "She said she wanted you to leave, so go."

Ray laughed. "You must be Ryan. So, we finally meet."

"Ryan, you don't need to protect me, I can handle him by myself."

"If you won't leave, I'll have to go call the police," Ryan said. Ray didn't move from his spot beside Gillian, so Ryan turned and went towards the back room.

"So you two aren't together, huh? Guess you haven't told him. It's about time he finds out."

"Ray, please, don't."

"Oh, I won't, it'll be much better for you to break his heart," Ray said, leaving.

Gillian wiped her eyes furiously, even though there were no tears there, but she was shaking violently.

"Gillian, are you okay? Oh, gosh, of course you're not," Kelsey said. "Who was that? What was he talking about?"

"I've got to get out of here," she said, picking up her things and bolting outside.

"Where'd she go?" Ryan asked, returning.

"She left," Kelsey was still staring towards the door that Gillian had exited through.

"Not with Ray…" Ryan looked terrified for her.

"No, no, he left first."

"Good…I've got to go find her, though."

"No, Ryan, I think that's the last thing she needs right now. I'll go, where's she staying?"

"Myrtle's…Kelsey, something's going on with her, maybe you can get through.

"I'll try, Ryan."

Bobby stood on Opal's doorstep waiting for her to answer. She wasn't really expecting him as he had told Anita.

The door finally opened. "Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes."

"Opal…could I talk to you for a little bit? I didn't know who else I could talk to you about this, and well, we're sort of family."

"Come on in, come on in. Can I get you anything?"

"No, I'm fine, thank you."

"So, what is it that's botherin' you? Trouble in paradise?"

Bobby nodded, "Big trouble."

"That bad?"

"Opal, you've got to promise you won't tell anyone about this."

"I promise," she said, seeing his look of sincerity.

"It's about Kelsey."

"Is that little vixen causing trouble for you again? Why, I ought a call Joe and Ruthie up right now and they'll set her straight."

"No, no, Opal, it's me. See, Anita and I have been having problems, since a little before we left Chicago, and things have only gotten worse. We fight all the time, about the stupidest things."

"All couples go through that, son, you'll work things out."

"But that's just it. I don't know if I really want to."

"Huh?"

"I've spent a lot of time with Kelsey because of Sam, and, well, I really enjoy being with her."

"Boy, have you totally lost our mind? Thi s is Kelsey Jefferson we're talking about, right?"

"I know it's crazy, Opal."

"Bobby, do you remember all the tricks that girl pulled? She's nothing but trouble!"

"Haven't you changed a lot since you were a teenager?"

"Well, yes, of course, I'm light years away from those times now."

"Well, maybe it hasn't been quite as long for Kelsey, but she has changed, a lot."

Opal's expression said that she didn't quite believe him, but she wasn't objecting either.

"Anita and I…it really feels that we've grown apart. When we moved up to Chicago, we both enrolled in school. Now here I am with a law degree, and what's she got? Nothing. Our priorities are different. I'm starting a career and she's still working a part time job whenever she feels like it, which isn't often. I'm ready to be an adult, buy a house, start a family. She still has the agenda of a college student who only wants to have fun. Maybe we got married too young, maybe if we would have waited, things would be different."

"Have you talked to her about this?"

"I've tried! But whenever I try and have a serious conversation with her, she just tries to shut me up by getting me into bed!"

Opal didn't say anything; she looked deep in thought.

"So, what do you want me to say?" she finally asked.

Bobby shook his head, "I don't know. I guess I just wanted to get all of that off my chest."

"Do you think if you weren't with Anita that you would be going after Kelsey now?"

"Even with our history….maybe."

"And without it?"

"Definitely."

"Well I guess that says something." 


	24. Chapter 24

A Place In the Sun

24 Gillian threw open the door to Myrtle's and immediately called Katalin to her side. She picked her up and practically ran up the stairs to their room. Once in there, she sat down on the bed with Kata and held her tightly to her chest. "Mommy, what's wrong?" Gillian didn't answer her. Downstairs, Kelsey knocked on the door. "Who is it?" Myrtle asked. "Kelsey Jefferson, I need to see Gillian." Myrtle opened the door. "I don't think she is taking any visitors tonight." "I just wanted to make sure she's alright, Myrtle. We were at SOS and she left so upset…" "Did something happen?" "This man, he came up to her, and-the way he talked to her sent chills up my spine. Do you know who that could be?" "Could only be one person…" "I've got to see her," Kelsey said, passing Myrtle and going up the stairs. She listened in the hall; she could hear Gillian crying and knocked on her door. "Gillian? Gillian, its Kelsey, can I come in?" There was no answer. "You really worried Ryan and I when you left like that." Inside, Katalin loosened herself from her mother's embrace and walked towards the door. "Kata, no," Gillian said. It was too late; Kata opened the door. Kelsey looked down at Katalin and then up to Gillian. "Mommy, is it okay to let her in?" Gillian nodded. Katalin jumped back up on the bed with Gillian and Kelsey pulled a chair up next to Gillian. Gillian sighed, "I guess there is no way around this now. Kata, this is my friend Kelsey; Kelsey, this is my daughter, Katalin." "Is she what that guy was harassing you about?" "That is part of it." "Is she his daughter? Is that why you and Ryan aren't together, because you had a child with another man?" "Not quite, Kelsey. Kata is not Ray's daughter, thankfully." "Oh my goodness…. she's Ryan's." Gillian didn't answer her, but Kata nodded. "Then what's the problem? You tell him, he'll probably be mad at you at first but he'll forgive you." "You don't know that, Kelsey. What if he wants nothing to do with me or her when he finds out?" "Gillian, this is Ryan we're talking about. He's one of those 'once in a lifetime' guys. And really, if Edmund and Maria could forgive me after all that I did, I think he can forgive you." Gillian shook her head. "But it is more than that…say that Ryan does forgive me for lying to him for nearly four years and we get back together. Ray isn't going to leave me alone. Not any time soon." "Is that the guy at SOS?" "Yeah. I lived with him most of the time I was away from here. It was great at first, he treated us really well. And then, I don't know, something changed," Gillian said, the pain in her heart showing in her eyes. "Did he hurt you?" Gillian nodded, "It got so I was always on the defensive, wondering when the next strike would fall. I wouldn't let him alone with Katalin. The night I left, he hurt her. He had always threatened to, but that was the first time he had actually done it. He left the house and Kata told me that she was afraid of him, and that was it; we left." "Wow, that must have taken a lot for you to go." "I had to protect her. She is so young and that was no place for her; I just wish I would have realized how badly we needed to get out of there sooner." "Gillian," Kelsey said quietly, "If there's one thing I've learned, it's that hindsight really is 20/20. Looking back at all the things I did, I wonder how I ever thought that was the right thing to do. But what's important is you got her out of there and got yourself out of there and you came here, home. You can look back and say you should've done things different all you want but it doesn't change what happened." Gillian stroked Katalin's hair, but didn't say anything. "But you can think of what's right to do now," Kelsey continued. "What is right for your daughter, and what is right for you. And you know what that is." "Kelsey just leave if you are going to just tell me that I have to tell him now." "No, Gillian, that's not what I'm saying. You know that you do have to tell him, but you will do it, on your own time." "I'm afraid he is going to find out. I mean, first Jake found out-" "Jake knows?" Gillian nodded, "I was in a car accident and he was my doctor and I wanted to know where she was so I had to tell him and of course he figured out that she is Ryan's daughter." "She looks so much like him. I didn't really notice it at first, but she does." "So, Jake knows, Dimitri and everyone at Wildwind knows about her, Myrtle of course, and now you know." "Gillian, you don't have to worry about me telling." "Thank you, Kelsey. It is just that the more people who find out, the more likely that Ryan will hear it, no matter how trustworthy everyone that knows is. Ever since I came back, I have known that I have to tell him and I had made a mental promise to myself and to Katalin that she would be able to spend her birthday with him. Well, her fourth birthday is in a few days and my time for that is running out." "Then there's only one thing for you to do." "I know, I have to tell him." Edmund sat at his desk with Tempo work spread all around him, unable to concentrate. He sighed and pushed his chair away from the desk, turning it to the bookshelves behind him. He pulled out an album. "The portraits we had done after we got Maddie back…" he said, looking at them. "Madeline?" "Yeah, I like it," Edmund said as he and Maria looked at their beautiful baby. "What about a middle name?" she asked. They both suggested a few names, all of which sounded horrible. "How about Flora?" "Madeline Flora?" "Flora was my mother's name. Madeline Flora Grey." "Madeline Flora Grey," she said looking at their infant. She smiled at Edmund, "A beautiful name for a beautiful baby." "She looks just like her beautiful mother." "She still does, Maria," he said to himself. He pulled out a picture album and turned to a photo taken in the park of the two of them with Sam and Maddie. Edmund could never look at this picture without feeling pain. "This is the last picture of you with both the children…," he said, flipping to the next one. "The last one of you and Maddie… "The last one of you and me… "The last one…" Long ago, far away  
I felt your lovin' glow upon my face Gillian held Katalin close to her chest as she rocked her to sleep, her tears staining her cheeks. Was it a dream or just a promise made   
What is my destiny Ryan opened a drawer and started pitching things behind him in search of something. Clothes were strewn over the room before he found a small black box. He opened it and gently removed two gold bands. He held them up together and then clenched them in his hand, holding them to his heart. Someday I'll find a way to shine   
Leave all these rainy days behind   
I know there's got to be   
Some place warm and bright for me   
I'm running out of places I can run   
Looking for a place in the sun Darkness hangs overhead  
Close to the point where angels fear to tread Edmund pushed papers and books out of his way in search of his wedding album. It wasn't there on the shelf where he always kept it. He froze, looking around at the chaos he had created; he wiped his eyes, pushing away the tears and frustration. I close my eyes and think of you instead   
And pray you'll be here soon Maria pulled her covers up close to her chin. She lay there searching through the memories that were flooding back. She closed her eyes and concentrated hard on picturing her last memory of her husband. She was trapped, she could hear Maddie crying, she could hear his voice. He took the baby, but he couldn't save her. Someday I'll find a way to shine   
Leave all these rainy days behind   
I know there's got to be   
Some place warm and bright for me   
I'm running out of places I can run   
Looking for a place in the sun Kelsey walked up to her apartment and looked around at the dark night. The stars and moon were hidden from view. She saw that Maria's was dark and she unlocked her own door, entering the empty apartment. Kelsey sat down on her couch, laying her head back on the cushion. Sometimes it feels like this whole world's against me   
And every beaten path  
Is just another winding road that tempts me  
Far from you and all that's true   
I've got to find my way again Bobby stood outside of his and Anita's apartment. He looked up at their bedroom window and saw there was a small light on. He walked back and forth trying to get himself to go on up, but he just did not want to. Finally the light went out; he waited a few more minutes before going to the stairs. Someday I'll find a way to shine   
Leave all these rainy days behind   
I know there's got to be   
Some place warm and bright for me   
I'm running out of places I can run   
Looking for a place in the sun Yeah I'm running out of places I can run   
Looking for a place in the sun 


	25. Chapter 25

A Place In the Sun

25 

Julia smiled as she watched her youngest sister beaming as she greeted guests.

"Rosa looks just radiant, doesn't she?" Julia asked.

Tyler nodded. "You don't look so bad yourself."

"Look who's talking," she said, rubbing her hand over the top of his hair and kissing him on the cheek.

"Hey, don't start anything. This is your sister's engagement party, remember? Not yours."

"What are you saying, Tyler Barrows?"

"Nothing," he said, with a wink.

"Thank you SO much for letting us use the club," Rosa said, hugging Mateo.

"What kind of big brother would I be if I didn't?"

"Congratulations, Rosa," Hayley said, being the next to hug her sister-in-law.

"Oh, it is so wonderful to see the two of you together and happy!" Isabella said.

Hayley squeezed Mateo's hand, "It is great, isn't it."

Ryan arrived and looked around, hoping that he might see Gillian among the people already there. He sighed when he didn't find her.

"Ryan," Rosa said, coming over to him. "Thank you for coming, how are you doing?"

"I've been better," he told her. "But I wanted to come here and congratulate the two of you."

"Well, thank you for coming, maybe we can help take your mind off things."

Maria got in the taxi that pulled up outside her apartment.

"Where to?" the cabbie asked.

"Wildwind. Do you know how to get there?"

He simply nodded and started the car.

Maria stared out the window as she was taken closer and closer to the place she once called home. Her stomach was in knots; she wanted to see her children but knew she ran a chance of Edmund seeing her before she was ready.

The driver was about to turn down the drive that led up to Wildwind when she told him to stop.

"This is as far as I need to go," she told him.

"Are you sure? It's not a short walk." 

She nodded, paid the driver, and thanked him.

Maria looked ahead into the dark night and walked forward. She pulled her coat tighter around her; the night had turned cold and foggy.

When she reached the door, she listened and didn't hear anyone on the other side. Gently, she tried the door and to her surprise it opened. She looked inside and found the place seemingly deserted. Quietly she closed the door behind her and started up the stairs.

Maria walked down the hall, wondering which doors might lead to her children's rooms when she heard Edmund's voice. Not wanting to be seen, she quickly opened a door and ducked inside a dark room.

She listened for him to pass, but then she heard a rustling noise from across the room.

"Mama?" she heard a small voice whisper. Maria turned around to see Maddie sitting up and rubbing her eyes.

"Maddie," she said, going over to her. "I'm sorry for waking you."

"It's ok."

"I just really needed to see you and Sam tonight. But we have to be quiet, I don't want your Daddy to hear us."

"We're keeping your secret."

"I know, you have done a very good job."

"How much longer?"

"Not long, baby."

Maddie did not look content.

"How are you doing? I haven't seen you since you got hurt at Kelsey's."

"I'm fine!" Maddie said, emphatically, but quietly.

"I see."

"Daddy's still all worried about me."

"He has a right to, you hit your head awful hard, and he is your father, so of course he'll worry."

"You worried, too."

"That's my job, too."

Maddie sat silent for several minutes.

"Do you remember yet?"

"What do you mean by that?

"You're staying away because you don't remember anything. Did you remember anything yet? Do you remember us?"

"Oh," Maria said, giving Maddie a hug. "Sweetie, it is coming back to me, just little pieces at a time. Memories of the two of you when you were very little. Memories of when I married your Daddy."

"Maddie, you need to stop playing and go to sleep," they heard Edmund from the hall.

Maria's face showed a look of panic as she jumped to her feet. She whispered, "Where can I hide?"

Edmund tried the door but the door was locked. "Maddie, what did we discuss about locking doors?"

"Sorry Daddy, just a second," Maddie said, opening the closet door for her mom. Once Maria was safely hidden, she opened the door for Edmund.

"Madeline, you know better than to lock your door."

"I know, Daddy, I won't do it again."

"Right now you are going to bed, we'll discuss this in the morning."

"Yes, sir," she said, climbing back into bed.

"Goodnight, baby," he said, kissing the top of her head.

"'night Daddy."

Edmund turned out the light and closed the door behind him.

"He's gone," Maddie said in a hushed voice.

Maria opened the closet door. "There's a door, right next to the your's, stairs that lead to the outside, right?"

"Yep, see, you do remember."

Maria gave Maddie a hug and a kiss. "I'm sorry for having you sneak around because of me."

"It's okay, Mommy. I love you."

"Oh, baby, I love you, too," she said, hugging her again. "I promise I will see you soon."

Maria pulled Maddie's covers back up to her chin before she left.

Julia was staring off into space as Tyler watched her. Suddenly she looked down and rubbed at her face.

"What's wrong?" he asked her.

"Nothing," she said, taking a drink of water.

"No, don't give me that. You were watching Rosa dancing with Tim and then you got this far off look on your face. What were you thinking about?"

She didn't answer right away. "The night we met."

"Well, that's halfway romantic."

"Not really, I wasn't thinking about that part, but what happened right before we met."

"That woman, you thought she was your sister."

"Yeah…and all these months later her image just keeps popping up in my mind. Everyone seemed to think I was a little bit crazy; Edmund, he didn't even want to think of the possibility that she could still be alive. And I know it is highly unlikely that she could've survived…Rosa, Anita, and I, we idolized our big sister. When we were young, she seemed invincible. She was smart and beautiful. Rosa reminds me so much of Maria, she probably looks the most like her, she has her grace and charm. I guess watching Rosa this evening is just making me think about Maria even more."

Tyler took Julia's hand and held it softly. "You are so lucky."

"No, everything in my life has gone wrong, my father died because of me, Noah and I had to leave town, then Maria died, and then I lost Noah. It's been one long heartache and I don't know how I am still standing."

"You're a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for. And you've got a lot going for you. You're great at your job, you still have a loving family, and, well, you've got me."

This made Julia smile. "Well, what about you, you never talk about yourself much, and I know we've had this conversation before but I still didn't get much out of you."

"I told you, my parents were never there, and my big brother had to practically raise me, but then he left, too. See, at least with Maria, she really was what she appeared to be. I didn't realize till a few years ago that my brother, R.J., he wasn't at all the guy I'd looked up to all those years. I don't even really know why I was looking for him, I should just cut my losses, I don't need someone like him in my life."

"I'm sorry."

"Nah, you'd think I'd be over it by now. But, you know, if I hadn't been looking for him this summer, I'd of never met you."

"That's true."

"And that's nothing to regret," he said, kissing her.

Maria quietly opened the door at the base of the stairs and stepped outside. She figured that she must be on the back side of Wildwind since she couldn't see the drive. 

Upstairs, one of Edmund's security personnel walked into his office. "Mr. Grey, an intruder has been spotted on the premises."

Edmund gave a look of alarm and then said, "Watch the children's doors." He grabbed a coat and headed outside.

Maria saw the mausoleum and instant ly recognizing it, she opened the door. She glanced at the names and found her's. The impact of the fact that everyone thought she was gone hit her; it had never completely seemed real till this moment. The pit of her stomach started to ache as she imagined all of the sadness that her family had felt.

Edmund looked from side to side searching for whoever had been seen.

"Mr. Grey," a tall man in dark clothes called out to him.

"Have you seen anything else," Edmund asked the man.

"Nothing since the video was caught earlier. The figure appeared to be a woman, but we haven't seen her since."

"Keep looking."

Edmund left, continuing his walk around the grounds.

Maria wiped away a tear, remembering that she needed to leave if she did not want to be seen.

She opened up the heavy door to the mausoleum and began to walk away, pulling the collar of her coat higher around her neck as she felt a chill.

Edmund heard the door to the mausoleum creak and changed his path towards there. The fog suddenly seemed to grow so thick that he could not see but a few feet in front of him. He heard a twig snap somewhere near.

Maria gasped at the noise she had just made and twirled around to see if anyone had followed the sound, but she, too, could not see very far. 

Edmund vaguely discerned the silhouette of a woman a few yards away. 

"Who's there?" he called out.

Maria, still not wanting to be seen, began to run. Edmund took off after her. She heard him yelling for her to stop.

Edmund heard what sounded like someone falling onto the ground ahead of him. Maria looked down at the dirt beside her face, a little dazed. She stood up, brushing off, and trying to get her bearings.

"Don't move," Edmund ordered from behind her.

Maria knew that at this point, if she took off again, he would easily catch up to her. 

Edmund knew the woman seemed familiar, but could not place her. He stepped closer to her while Maria kept her back to him.

"You need to come with me back to the house. If you won't comply I'll have to call a guard," he said, not truly believing it would come to that.

Nothing happened for several moments; Maria did not move. "There's no need for that, Edmund," she said softly, not believing what was happening. Slowly, she turned to face him and he stepped back. Instantly, this feeling surged inside of her of intense happiness and in a moment she could no longer fathom why she had stayed away.

Edmund stared at her, in shock, and moved towards her. "Maria?" he whispered.

She nodded, lowering her head.

He shook his head, "No, no…" he backed away from her again.

"Edmund," she said, reaching out for him. She knew at this point that she could still get away; by the look in his eyes he thought that she was a figment of his imagination. But she knew that it was more likely that he would not care if her memories were incomplete, he would only care that she was back. 

"No, I've seen you before and you always go away, and I am not doing that again."

"Who's that Anita's dancing with?" Kelsey asked, sitting down beside Bobby.

Bobby shrugged, "I don't know, he came over and asked her to dance, she asked me if I minded, I told her to go ahead, so she did."

"Sounds fair enough."

"You know what's not fair? Anita and I are so far apart and I can't even tell her something that could truly change her life. How's she going to feel when she finds out about Maria?"

"Maybe she'll just be relieved."

"I overhead Julia and that guy she's with talking about Maria earlier and it took all my strength not to go over there and tell her that her sister is right here in Pine Valley."

"Bobby, you know it's up to her when she tells everyone. I found out on accident and I really was not supposed to tell you. It's her life."

"I know, she'll tell everyone when she's ready. I just have to keep convincing myself of that."

"Edmund," Maria called after him as he walked back towards Wildwind. 

He would not turn around, she hesitated for a few seconds and then followed him, staying just a few feet behind until he reached the door.

She put her hand on his shoulder, trying to make him turn around and see her again.

"Edmund, I stayed away because I didn't want to be a burden to you, but seeing you, it was not until I actually saw you that I realized how wrong I was, I realized that even if I don't remember everything, I do remember how much I love you and that is all, that is all that is important."

"No, it's impossible…the plane…no, I just need to go inside and concentrate on my work and not think about you. Not miss you. Not feel like my heart is missing. I need to just get on with my life, move on," he said, brushing away her hand. 

"If you were going to do that you would have started a long time ago," she smiled. He turned to face her.

"No, you can't be real," he said, shaking his head.

"But I am," she said, taking his hand and placing it on her cheek. She took his face in her own hands and told him, "Edmund, it is me. I'm just as real as you."

He looked into her eyes, searching, trying to find the woman he loved so deeply. She felt tears forming, but could not take her hands away from his face to wipe them away.

Edmund smiled and took his thumb to dry her cheek. Then, he pulled her closer to him, stroking her hair.

"Oh, Maria, there aren't even words…" he said, lifting her away from him only so he could kiss her. "You don't know how much I've longed to feel you in my arms again."

Maria lay her head on his chest, for the first time since she could remember, feeling complete.


	26. Chapter 26

A Place In the Sun

26 

The phone rang in Gillian's room.

"Hello?"

"Gillian, how are things?" Dimitri asked.

"Dimitri, I told you we'll be fine while you're away."

"I know, but I worry with Myrtle not there and all."

"Ryan and Jake are just a phone call away if I need anything. And I'm not the only one in this house."

"I just want you and Katalin to be safe."

"I know, I know, and thank you for your concern, but we will be alright."

"I have to go, take care and give Kata my love."

"I will," Gillian said, hanging up the phone.

"Dimi?" Kata asked, climbing onto the bed next to Gillian.

"Yes, and he sends his love to you," she said, giving her a hug.

"When's he going to be back?"

"Two days, two suns," Gillian said.

"Two suns," Kata said, returning to her toys content.

Edmund kissed Maria again.

"I don't even know what to say," he said.

She shook her head, "Me neither."

"Which is the strangest thing because all these years I've thought of so many millions of things I wanted to say to you."

"You don't need to say anything."

Edmund looked around, "Why are we standing out here?"

Maria shook her head. He opened the door for her and they went in and he sat her down on the couch.

"Is there anything I can get you? Something to drink?"

Maria laughed at him.

"What? What's so funny?"

"Just sit down."

He did as she said.

"You don't need to do anything for me," she said.

"But I don't know what to do."

"How about this?" she said, putting his arm around her shoulders and snuggling up against him.

"I wish I could just sit here holding you forever."

"Not so practical, but sounds good to me."

"Everyone is going to be so happy to see you, Maria. Why don't I go wake the kids up?"

"No, let them sleep."

"They'll be so excited—"

"Edmund, they already know."

"What?"

"Sam and Maddie, they already know that I'm back."

"How? And why wouldn't they tell me?"

"I made them promise, don't be mad at them, please. The day that Maddie got hurt at Kelsey's—"

"Does Kelsey know, too?"

"Yes, and she told Bobby, too, but please, they were only doing what I asked. Anyway, I saw Maddie fall and I had to run outside to her to make sure she was alright and the kids of course saw me then; I was the neighbor that Sammy stayed with when Kelsey took Maddie to the hospital."

"Wait, how long? How long have you been back here?" he stood up and backed away from her.

"A couple of months."

"And you are just now coming here? And you wouldn't have stayed if I hadn't seen you and followed you. What's going on, Maria?"

"Edmund, after the plane crash, I guess I ended up on an island near the crash site and a man living there took care of me. I wasn't conscious for a long time and when I did come around, I did not remember anything. It took me until this summer to remember enough to find my way home and even then I didn't remember my own name. Then by some luck, I ended up moving in across from Kelsey and she recognized me and showed me pictures of Sam and Maddie and told me things that triggered memories. I thought that I would wait till I remembered everything, and, well, it made a lot more sense at the time. I didn't want to burden you. I was sure you had enough on your hands to worry about that you didn't have time to deal with fixing me."

"Maria, having you here, whether you remember everything or not, you being alive is all that matters to me," he said, joining her again on the couch. His happiness for having his wife beside him greatly outweighed his frustration.

"Just a minute ago you were getting all mad."

"I do wish you'd have come here before but that is nothing we can change now, right?"

"Right."

"I love you," he said, giving her a kiss.

"I love you, too," she said, putting her arms around his neck.

He kissed her again.

"Upstairs?" she asked, standing up.

"Really?"

She nodded, taking his hand as he followed her toward the stairs.

"How about a dance?" Kelsey asked, standing beside Ryan.

"Kelsey," he said, turning around. "Thanks for the offer, but I'm not in the mood."

"What kind of friend would I be to let you sit here drowning your sorrows? No, you are getting out of that seat."

"You know, maybe I should just leave."

"Stay, stay."

"I came and congratulated Rosa and Tim, haven't I filled my social quota for the night?"

"No, now come on," she said pulling him out onto the dance floor.

"Kels, I gotta—"

"No, shhh," she said as they danced.

"Really—"

"Ryan, you've got to get your mind off her. She'll come around, I promise you. Dwelling on it won't help."

"Or I could—"

"No, see, Ryan, you love Gillian, right?"

"Of course I do."

"And she loves you?"

"I thought so, but…"

"Maybe she has reasons for not being with you now that she's struggling to deal with herself."

"Or maybe it was a mistake to think that after all this time we still had something."

"No, no, no. I promise you, that isn't the problem."

"Do you know something, Kelsey?"

"Ryan…you see, Gillian, she…" Kelsey stopped herself. It was Gillian's business, not her's.

"Kelsey…"

"Sorry, Ryan," she said, pulling away from him and going back to the table where Bobby was sitting.

"Here, Mommy," Katalin said, handing Gillian a picture she had drawn.

"What's this?" she asked, looking it over. "Is that a birthday cake?"

Kata nodded, then pointing to the candles she had drawn, "One, two, three, four."

"Good job! Is this a picture of how you want your birthday?"

"Uh-huh," she nodded.

"I don't see any presents on here, isn't there something you'd like? Like that doll you saw on TV?"

Kata shook her head.

"What about the people in the picture?"

"That's me," she said pointing to one figure. "That's Daddy."

"Oh," she said, studying the picture. "So all you want for your birthday is for your Daddy to be there?"

Kata nodded.

Gillian brushed away a tear. "You know what, sweetie, how about I give him a call right now? See if he can come here."

Katalin handed her the phone just as someone pounded on the door to the bedroom. Gillian quickly stood up and asked who it was.

"It's me, Gill, now open up," Ray said, his voice sending shivers up Gillian's spine.

"Um, just a moment," she said, opening the closet door and taking out a robe. She motioned to Kata to come to her. Gillian pointed to the corner of the closet and Katalin silently climbed in.

Gillian knelt down to be face to face with her daughter. "I'll get rid of him, real fast, I don't want him to hurt you, so just stay here until he's gone, okay?"

Kata nodded, understanding all too well.

Ray pounded on the door again.

"I'm coming," she said, tying the robe and opening the door.

"I've had enough of this," he said, marching into the room.

"What?"

"You're coming with me, we're going home. Now where's the kid?"

"She's at a sleepover."

"Well, we're going to just have to go and get her and then we're out of this town."

"No, I'm not going anywhere with you."

He grabbed her wrist, pulling her towards him.

"Ray, let go of me," Gillian pleaded. Inside the closet, Kata covered her ears.

"Sorry, Gill, but I just won't have you telling me what to do, never have, and I'm not about to start now."

"Why, why, why?" Kelsey asked herself as she sat next to Bobby.

"Why what?" he asked.

"Why does everyone end up telling me their secrets? It's not like they really say "hey, let's give all the secrets to Kelsey" but somehow, somehow, I end up being in the right place at the right time, or rather, the wrong place at the wrong time, and boom! Another secret for Kelsey to keep."

"Other than Maria, what else do you know?"

Kelsey shot him a look, "I already told you that one when I wasn't supposed to."

"Good point. A secret's a secret for a rea son, I guess."

"Ugh!" she said, laying her head on the table. Her beeper started going off.

"Are you on call?" he asked her.

"As far as I know, no," she said, looking at the number. "But that is definitely the hospital."

"Here," he said, tossing her his cell phone.

"Thanks," she said, dialing the number. "Hi, I just got paged…What? Jake, slow down…No, I'll be there as soon as I can…thank you."

"What?"

"Jake," she started, standing up and putting on her coat, "he said he just got a call that they're bringing Gillian into the ER; he doesn't know exactly what happened but he said it's serious." 


	27. Chapter 27

A Place In the Sun

27 

"Jake," Kelsey said, running into the ER. "Have they brought her in yet?"

"Yeah, just did," he said, putting the phone down.

"How is she?"

"I don't really know, she was unconscious when she came in, but Dad said I was too involved…"

"You're obviously very upset," she said. Ryan entered, unnoticed to either of them. He had overheard the phone call that Kelsey had made to Jake at SOS and followed her to the hospital.

"Well, if I'd have paid better attention to her since she's been back I could've prevented this."

"What? What are you talking about, Jake?"

"It was him, it had to be, that guy…"

"Ray?"

"Yeah, that's his name."

"She's here because Ray hurt her?"

"You know about him? If I had known he was in town I could have protected her, gotten rid of him somehow."

"I saw him messing with her at SOS one day and then she left upset and I went to Myrtle's to make sure she was alright."

"Did she tell you?"

"About Katalin?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, God," Kelsey said, alarmed. "Where is she? Is Kata okay?"

"I don't know," Jake said, realizing he didn't know where she was. "I mean, I guess her daughter wasn't there, thank goodness."

Ryan could hear their conversation and began walking towards them.

"Well, where could she be?" Kelsey asked. "What if Ray…"

"No, no," Jake said, picking up the phone.

"Jake, Gillian has a child?" Ryan asked, in disbelief.

Jake and Kelsey looked at each other, realizing what had just happened.

"Ryan…" Kelsey started.

"And you…oh, God, this, this is what she's been keeping from me? She has a daughter…Katalin…Katalin is my daughter."

"Ryan, she wanted to tell you," Kelsey said.

"And now Ray," he said, pointing towards the exam room, "he's done that, and…oh, God, he didn't…"

"Ryan, I don't know where she is, I'm just about to call Wildwind and see if she's there."

"Well, I'm not wasting any time," he said, leaving.

"Mmmm…" Maria said, rolling over in bed. "The phone's ringing."

"Let it ring," Edmund told her, pulling her close to him again.

"That's the third time it's rang. What if it's important?"

"It can wait, whatever it is."

"Well, then I'm answering it," she said, picking up the phone. "Hello?…Just a moment."

"Who is it?"

"Jake Martin."

Edmund took the phone from her immediately, "Jake, what's wrong?…Oh, no…No, Jake, she's not here with us…Okay, I'll be right over."

"Edmund, what's wrong?" Maria asked as he found his clothes and began dressing.

"Gillian, Dimitri's cousin, she's in the hospital."

"What happened?"

"Ray, her ex…if only Dimitri and I would've convinced her that she and Katalin should live here with us—"

"Don't blame yourself."

"But now, Jake doesn't know where Kata, her daughter, is; wherever she is, I'm sure she's scared to death."

"I'm going with you," Maria said, finding her own clothes.

"Stay here, the kids might need you."

"They'll be fine," she told him.

"Okay, then, no time to argue, let's go."

"Kelsey was awful upset when Jake called her," Bobby said, really to no one.

"Then why don't you go and see how she is?" Anita said, somewhat sarcastically, from behind him.

"Anita.." he said as she sat down beside him.

"No, really. I'm about ready to leave, why don't we stop by the hospital on the way home? That way you can see that she's fine and all and then when we get home we can both concentrate on us."

Bobby didn't know what to say; Anita seemed to be halfway accepting Kelsey as his friend.

"Okay," he said, standing up. They found Rosa and Tim and told them goodbye before leaving.

A few minutes later, Julia's beeper went off.

"And to think, we made it almost the entire night," Tyler said.

"You knew I could get called in," she told him.

"Well, I'll go with you, maybe they only need you for a little bit."

"Hopefully."

They got up and went over to Rosa and Tim.

"Hey, you two," Julia said. "I just got paged, so we're going to have to leave."

"Ohh, well, thank you for coming," Rosa said, giving her sister a hug.

Ryan arrived at Myrtle's to see several police cars parked out front. As he approached, a cop stopped him.

"You can't go in."

"I have to find my daughter."

"We can help you, but this is a crime scene. Can you describe her for me?"

"No, I've never met her, but she was more than likely here tonight with her mother."

"Are you talking about Katalin?" a young man asked, coming to the door, holding an ice pack to his jaw.

"Yeah, have you seen her?"

"Not since earlier, I live across the hall from Gillian and I came home to hear that monster beating her around and when I confronted him, he took one swing at me and left."

"Alone?"

"As far as I could tell. That's when I called 911. But I haven't seen the little girl."

"Can't I just get in and look around?" Ryan pleaded. "She could be hiding somewhere."

"I'm sorry, I can't let you—"

Ryan darted past him and up the stairs. He ducked under a line of police tape that was across the bedroom door and looked around at the damage. There were items strewn everywhere and the mirror had been broken. There were drops of blood, Gillian's blood, on the bed and on the carpet.

"Katalin? Baby, are you here?" he asked, looking into the bathroom.

He looked under the bed and called her name again. 

"Katalin, I know you're probably scared, but I promise, it's safe," Ryan said, opening the closet doors. 

He pushed the clothes first to one end of the closet and then to the other, but saw nothing. The floor was covered, a pile of blankets were in one corner. Just as he was about to turn away, he noticed that the blankets were moving slightly.

"Kata?" he whispered, gently pulling off the blanket that she was hiding under. His eyes filled with tears as he saw her huddled in the corner, her knees pulled up to her chest.

Ryan knelt down on the floor and softly said, "Sweetie, I know that you don't know me, but—"

He stopped as Katalin lifted her head.

"Daddy?" she asked.

Ryan nodded, hardly able to comprehend what he was feeling. Katalin made her way out of the closet to Ryan; she wrapped her arms around his neck and put her head on his shoulder.

Neither of them needed to say anything.

He held her for several moments before standing up, using his hand to shield her eyes from having to take in the scene before them. He ducked under the police tape again and closed the door after taking one last look around, his tears long since fallen. 


	28. Chapter 28

A Place In the Sun

28 

"Are you ready for this?" Edmund said to Maria as they drove toward town.

"Ready or not…"

"There are going to be people there who remember you."

"I don't care. They don't matter. You are here by my side and I know however hard it might be, it'll be okay."

"When your mother sees you…"

"How is she?"

"She's doing well."

"I mean, how was she, after the plane crash?"

Edmund shook his head. "I'm surprised she didn't completely fall apart. She had just lost your father, Julia had to move away, and then you were gone."

"How were you?" she asked, putting her hand on his.

He didn't say anything. He took his hand away from her and held the wheel with both hands.

"Edmund?"

"I'd rather not talk about it," he said, finally. There was silence again.

"I'm sorry," Maria said, stroking the back of his head.

"Don't be."

"Why hasn't Ryan called yet?" Kelsey asked as she and Jake still waited.

"Maybe no news is good news."

"Yeah, right," she said, standing up. "And when is someone going to tell us what's going on with Gillian?"

"Kelsey, calm down," Jake said, putting his hands on her shoulders.

They both turned around as Joe came out.

"What are we doing?" Julia asked as Tyler pulled off of the road near a bridge. "I've got to get to the hospital."

"No, no you don't," he said, getting out of the car.

"Tyler, they paged me, do you want to get me fired?"

"No, they didn't page you," he said, leading her down to the to the river and helping her up onto a rock.

"Yes, they did."

"No, I had you paged with that number so we'd have an excuse to leave."

"What?"

"I was going to take you somewhere special, but I couldn't wait any longer, so I hope this is good enough."

"Tyler?" she said, looking at him strangely.

"Maybe I'm rushing this a little bit, or a lot; we have only known each other for three months. But, these have been the best three months of my life, and that's because you're in it. I-I don't know how I ever lived without you, and I don't think I ever could again. There's this huge part of me that you filled, and I didn't even know that there was something missing there. And—I guess, the only thing left to say is to ask you," he said, bending down on one knee and pulling a box out of his pocket. "Julia, will you, will you marry me?"

Julia couldn't speak; she could only nod. 

"Really?" he asked, standing up and taking her in his arms.

"Really," she whispered. "Tyler, I didn't think I could love anyone after Noah, and you proved me wrong. I can't imagine that happening with anyone else, ever. I love you, Tyler Barrows."

"I love you."

Julia's pager went off.

"This isn't you, is it?" she asked with a smile.

"No, this time I'm innocent."

"It is the hospital, though."

"Well, then I guess we have to go."

"Yeah," she said as he was about to step off the rock. "Wait."

"What?"

"Thank you," she said, lowering her eyes.

He looked at her, confused. "You don't need to thank me for anything."

"No, I do. Ever since I lost Noah, I had sort of been living in my own little bubble and showing everyone on the outside that I was just fine. But since I met you, I was able to deal with all of that and learn how to love again. I didn't think there was any possible way for me to care about and love someone enough to want to marry him, but I do."

Tyler took her hand, in understanding, and helped her down off the rock and they went back up the embankment to the car.

"Dad, how is she?" Jake asked.

"Seeing this sort of thing never gets any easier," Joe started.

"Grandpa Joe, is Gillian going to be alright?" Kelsey asked.

"Well, as far as we can tell there's no internal bleeding, she has some broken ribs and plenty of bruising. Our biggest concern right now is that she has not woken up. But we're moving her up to a room and we're going to be keeping very close watch over her."

"So you think she'll be okay?" Kelsey asked.

"You know I can't make any promises," he said, going back into the exam room.

"Kelsey," Bobby said, coming into the ER.

"Bobby, why are you here?" she asked.

"I wanted to make sure everything was okay."

"He was worried," Anita added.

"So far, Gillian's okay," she said. Then, to Jake, she asked, "Why don't you try calling Ryan?"

"Ryan left right after you did," Anita told her.

"Yeah, he was here, and then he overheard something…I mean I guess it's not a secret anymore—"

"What you were upset about earlier?" Bobby asked.

The phone rang just as Jake was about to pick it up.

"Hello?" he said.

"Jake, how is she?" Ryan asked.

"So far, so good," he told him. "Did you find Kata?"

"Yeah, yeah, I did, we're still at Myrtle's," he said, in his truck. He rubbed Kata's back as she laid asleep on his lap.

"Thank goodness. Is she okay?"

"Far as I can tell. Jake, what should I do with her? I want to come check on Gillian but that is no place for a child."

"How was Katalin with you?"

"She's amazing, Jake. I mean, when I found her she was hiding, and then she looked up and she knew who I was."

"She's not scared?"

"She was, but not now. She's asleep. I think—I feel like I should just take her home."

"That's probably best. I can call you if anything changes with Gillian."

"Thanks Jake, I appreciate that."

Jake hung up the phone and turned to Kelsey.

"So she's alright?" Kelsey asked.

"Ryan has her and is going to take her to his place."

"Good, good. I'm so glad that Ray didn't get to her."

"That's for sure."

"So, your friend Gillian has a kid? And she'd kept her a secret? And Ryan's the father." Bobby asked.

"That about sums it up."

"I can't believe anyone would trust someone like her to keep their secret…" Anita muttered under her breath. Bobby gave her a sharp elbow in the rib.

Kelsey looked up as she saw Edmund coming in the door, followed closely by Maria.

"Jake, how is Gillian?" he asked, joining them.

"She's doing well, so far," he said, as everyone turned to face the couple.

Anita's mouth dropped open in shock. "Oh, my God," she said, instantly giving her sister a hug. Still with her arms around her, she asked, "Is it, is it really..?"

Maria nodded, "Yes, Anita, I'm here."

"But, Maria, how? I mean, it's been so long…"

"Don't worry about it, okay? I'm here now."

The ER doors opened again, this time it was Julia and Tyler.

Julia saw Bobby first and asked, "Hey, what's going on? Did something happen?"

Bobby started to answer when Anita and Maria stepped away from each other and Julia saw them.

"Oh," she said, backing up, her hand covering her mouth. With her other hand, she reached for Tyler. "Maria?" 


	29. Chapter 29

A Place In the Sun

29

"Maria?" Julia repeated. 

"Julia," Maria replied as the sisters embraced. 

"Maria, oh thank God, you're alive, after all this time…"

"It has been a long time," she said as they stepped apart. She noticed Tyler right behind Julia. "Tyler Barrows?"

"You're the woman from the Valley Inn that night," he said, recognizing her. "You said your name was Carmen."

"I didn't remember my own name, and that's what I had been called since the crash. But then Julia, she walked in and she said 'Maria' right before she fainted…"

"See, Edmund, I wasn't going crazy. I really did see Maria," Julia said, laughing. "If only you hadn't have ran out you could have been with us all months ago!"

"But I didn't know any better; frankly I was a bit scared after what happened that night."

"I'm sure you were. But, well, I guess if that wouldn't have happened, then Tyler and I might have never met."

"What's going on between the two of you?" she asked. 

"We're engaged!" she said smiling. There were shocked congratulations from all the people around them. "We know it's a little soon, but it feels so right."

"Well I'm glad for you," Maria said, giving Julia another hug.

"So, well, what have you been doing since that night?" 

"I stayed there at the hotel for a few more days, before I moved into an apartment. That's where I got lucky because I just happened to have moved in across from Kelsey-"

"Kelsey?" Julia asked.

"The landlord told Maria that I used to live here and might be able to help her out," Kelsey explained. "And then when she showed up at my door, well, I was just as shocked as the rest of you. And I tried to convince her to go home-"

"But I wouldn't listen," Maria said. 

Noticing that Anita was starting to look steamed, Bobby took her hand and led her away from the group. 

"Anita, don't cause a scene, okay?" he warned. 

"But she knew? She knew! She knew all this time!" Anita exclaimed.

"It's really unbelievable, that Maria's here."

"No, what's really unbelievable is that anyone, especially my sister, would confide in Kelsey." 

"Baby, I'm as shocked as anyone," Bobby said. 

She studied his face. "No…no, you're not," she said quietly, realizing he had just lied to her. "You knew all along." 

"Anita..." 

"No, you spend so much time with Kelsey. You've been keeping secrets with her." 

"Maria didn't want anyone to know." 

"But you kept it a secret, and it wasn't some little, insignificant secret. And you couldn't even tell her sister, your own wife! My sister is alive and you kept that from me. You know how much I have missed her and you kept that from me…" 

"I wanted to tell you, believe me, I did." 

She shook her head, "I don't believe you." 

She turned away from him. 

He placed a hand on her shoulder but she wouldn't turn around. She pushed his hand away. Shaking his head in resignation, he left the hallway. Kelsey, seeing him leave, followed. 

Ryan carried Katalin into his apartment; she was still sound asleep. He took her into the bedroom and gently laid her down and pulled the covers up.

He knelt beside the bed as she stirred.

"Daddy?" she asked, her eyes adjusting to the room.

"Hey, baby, I'm right here," he said.

"Where are we?"

"This is where I live. I hope it's okay with you for tonight."

"Where's Mommy?" she asked. 

"Sweetie, she's at the hospital. But she's doing good."

"Doctor will make her all better," she said with a yawn.

"Right, right," he said. "Now, you can sleep in here, okay? And if you need anything, I'll be right outside the door, on the couch."

"Okay," she replied, closing her eyes.

"Goodnight." 

Ryan went back out to the living room and lay down on the couch, pulling a blanket up. He lay there in the dark, completely unable to make himself fall asleep.

"Bobby, Bobby wait," Kelsey said, finally catching up to him several floors up.

"Kels, go back downstairs with everyone else," he told her.

"No, we need to talk." She opened the door to a conference room and pulled him in. 

"Kelsey, really, you need to just leave me alone."

"Bobby, I'm sorry." 

"For what? You're always sorry. This is just like high school, all over again." 

"I shouldn't have told you about Maria; she didn't want me to tell anyone and that included you." 

"No, you shouldn't have told me."

"From the very beginning of when you came back to Pine Valley, I shouldn't have tried to share time with Sam with you, there was no reason for the two of us to have to spend time together."

"There wasn't."

"And when I knew that being friends with you was hurting your marriage, I should have completely stepped back, because I never meant to hurt your relationship with Anita."

"Well, you did, Kelsey. And what do you have to say?"

"I'm sorry, Bobby, that's all I can say."

"Does a whole lot of good now. I don't think Anita is going to just forgive me that easily for not telling her that her sister was alive!"

"I'm sorry," she whispered. 

Anita walked in the hall outside of the room they were in. 

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry," he said loudly; Anita heard him and stopped to listen. "You know, you're not the only one who's sorry about something here. What I'm sorry for is that all these months, I have had to force myself to do what I thought was the right thing, and not do what I know is wrong." 

"Bobby, what are you talking about?" she asked him. "This," he said, pulling her close to him and kissing her.

"Bobby, I've been looking all over--," Anita said, walking in to see the two of them.

"Anita," Kelsey said, trying to catch her breath from surprise.

"No…" Anita said, backing away. "That's it, that's it. Goodbye, Bobby." She left the room. 

"Bobby, go after her," Kelsey said.

"No, I'm tired of explaining myself to her. I've never had to explain myself to you."

"Bobby, this is so wrong," she told him. "You know that I've wanted to be with you for so long, you know all the stunts I pulled, but you're married to Anita now, go find her."

"No," he said, kissing her again.

From the bedroom, Ryan heard light footsteps headed towards the door. Katalin opened it and looked to see where he was and then came over to him.

"Can't sleep either, huh?" he asked.

Kata shook her head. 

"Are you hungry? Thirsty?" he asked.

She shook her head again. Without a word, she climbed up onto the couch and laid down on his chest.

At first he didn't know what to do, but taking cues from his daughter, he pulled the blanket up and put his arms around her.

"Were you lonely in there?" he asked.

She didn't answer. He looked down at her face; her head was snuggled up under his chin. Kata's eyes were closed and he could tell her breathing was even. She had already fallen asleep.

What he was feeling was unlike anything he'd ever felt or imagined before. This beautiful little girl lying with him was his daughter. He was a father. 

"I'm a father," he said softly to himself as a tear rolled down his cheek. "I'm her Daddy."


	30. Chapter 30

A Place In the Sun

30 

The sun had already started to rise before Edmund and Maria were able to break away her family to go check on Gillian, who was still asleep, and then go home.

They sat down on the couch, utterly exhausted, yet wide awake.

"What a night," Maria remarked.

"What a night," Edmund echoed.

"I do hope that Anita was able to find Bobby and straighten things out," she said.

"I don't know, those two have been having problems, I think."

"I guess I'll see her later on today."

"We've got to tell your mother and Mateo, why don't we call them and invite them over later on, after we've gotten some rest?"

"Good idea."

"The kids should be up soon."

As if on cue, they heard footsteps coming down the stairs.

Soon enough, Maddie came to the door, her eyes growing big.

"Mommy!" she said, running over to Maria and giving her a hug and kiss. She then ran back out to the hallway. "Sammy! Sammy! Sammyyyyyyyyy!" She ran back over to the couch and slid her way in between her parents. They all heard Sam running down the stairs to see what the commotion was all about.

"Mom!" he said, joining his family on the couch.

"Oh, it is so good to be with all of you this morning," Maria said, putting an arm around each of her children.

Sam looked at his father and then looked down at his hands. Maria noticed the serious look on his face.

"What's wrong, Sammy?" she asked him.

He whispered in her ear, "Does Daddy know that Maddie and me knew that you were here?"

Maria nodded.

"Daddy, are you mad at us?" he asked.

"Mad? Why would I be mad at you?" Edmund asked Sam.

"Cause Maddie and me, we knew that Mom was at Kelsey's and we didn't tell you, and you've always told us it's wrong to keep secrets that are about important stuff."

"You're right, Sam, but it's all okay now. Your Mom's here and she's not going anywhere."

"She's not?"

"Of course not, sweetie," Maria told him, tousling his already messy blonde hair.

Ryan's phone rang, waking him up. Seeing that Katalin was still asleep, he slid out from under her to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Ryan, it's Jake."

"Hey, anything new with Gillian?" 

"She's woken up a few times for a couple of minutes. I told her that Kata is safe, but not that you had her. And she asked where you were."

"Is it okay for us to come see her?"

"Of course."

"As soon as Kata gets up, we'll be over there."

"How'd she do for you last night?"

"When we got home, she was still asleep but then she woke up when I laid her down. Neither of us could fall asleep and she came out and got up on the couch with me and fell asleep almost immediately. She's still out."

"She had a hard day."

"That's for sure. I can't help but think of what could have happened if Ray would have found her."

"I've never met him, but from what I hear I wouldn't put anything past him."

"Well I have, and you're right." There was a knock at the door. "Hey, Jake, someone's here, I've got to go. We'll be over there in a while." 

"See you then."

"Thanks, bye," he said, hanging up the phone and going to the door. He looked through the peephole and saw it was Kelsey. He opened the door.

"I'm sorry to bother you this early," she said as he let her in.

"It's okay," he said, checking on Kata and seeing that she was still asleep.

"I thought I should bring over some of Katalin's clothes from Myrtle's," she said, handing him a bag.

"Thanks."

"How is she?"

"Still asleep."

"Ryan, I'm sorry that you had to find out like that."

"It doesn't matter now."

"She really was planning to tell you."

"It's okay, Kelsey, really."

"You're not mad?" she asked, puzzled.

"No, and let's leave at that. Thanks for bringing her stuff."

"You're welcome. Bye, Ryan."

"Bye."

"Daddy?" Katalin said, sitting up and looking over the back of the couch.

"Hey, baby," he said, joining her on the couch. "Did you sleep good?"

She nodded.

"As soon as we eat breakfast and get you dressed, we can go to the hospital, okay?"

She nodded and then followed him into the kitchen where he helped her up onto a barstool. He held up two boxes of cereal and she pointed to the one she wanted.

"So, do you like to be called Katalin or Kata more?" he asked her.

She shrugged her shoulders, "Either."

"What's your favorite color?"

"Pink. What's your's?"

"Umm…I guess, green. So, you're what, three years old? Almost four?" 

She nodded, but then her eyes got big. "I'm four! It's my birthday."

"Really? Are you sure?"

"Mommy said one more day."

"Well, then, I guess it is," he said, pulling out a few outfits from the bag Kelsey had brought in. "What do you want to wear?"

"This," she said, picking up her favorite pink dress. "Mommy likes this one."

"Well that's good. Do you need to get a shower or something?"

"Do I have to?"

Ryan laughed, "I guess that means yes."

"I'm finished," she said, handing him her bowl.

"Okay, we've got to get ready."

"So we can go see Mommy?"

"Yup."

She started off towards the bathroom. "Are you coming?"

"What?"

"Mommy always helps me."

"Oh, yeah," he said, laughing to himself at how little he knew about taking care of a preschooler.

After they had both cleaned up and he had dressed her and dried her hair, he took the other clothes that Kelsey had brought into the bedroom and cleared out a drawer for them. As he was folding them and putting them away, Katalin came up to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"What was that for?" he asked.

"I love you," she said, giving him a hug.

"I love you, too," he told her, hugging her back.


	31. Chapter 31

A Place In the Sun

31 

"That was Julia," Edmund said, hanging up the phone.

"Hmmm?" Maria sat on the edge of the bed, getting dressed. "What did she want?"

"She said she was just over at your mama's, Mateo and Rosa were also there, and she told them about you. She hopes you aren't mad."

"Well, I'm thankful for that. I'm pretty much tired of the whole shock factor."

"Julia figured the news about you would take the spotlight off her news about her engagement to Tyler."

"Kelsey told me about Noah's accident. Poor Julia, she lost our father, then me, and then Noah. I just hope that what she has with Tyler is for real. They've known each other for such a short time."

"They have, but I've seen them together so many times. They're really attached at the hip, and they do seem to be in love."

"I'm glad she's been able to find someone."

There was a knock on the door.

"Come in," Maria said.

Maddie burst through the door and onto Maria's lap.

"Hey sweetie, what have you been up to?"

"I made you a picture," she said, handing it to Maria.

Without explanation, Maddie left the room.

"What is it?" Edmund asked, joining Maria.

"Looks like Wildwind. She drew herself, Sammy, and the two of us."

Edmund looked at it and then stood up and had to turn away to not let her see the tears forming in his eyes.

"Edmund?"

"We need to finish getting ready, your mama's going to be here any minute I bet."

"Edmund, what's wrong?"

"It just made me think of what every picture she's drawn of home has looked like," he said, pulling a piece of paper from his nightstand. "Here."

"She was only four when she drew this," Maria said, seeing a date written on it. "What's this?"

Edmund looked at the figure over the house that she pointed to. "That's you. See, you're our angel watching over us."

Maria looked down at the picture again and then at Edmund. She stroked his face and pulled him closer to her.

"I'm sorry," she told him.

Maddie stood at the door, not sure what to think of her parents' tearful embrace.

"Ummm…Daddy? Mommy?"

"Oh, yes, sweetie?" Maria said, wiping her eyes.

"Abuela is here," she told them.

"Thanks, Maddie. Tell her we'll be down in a minute," Edmund said.

Once Maddie had left, Maria turned to Edmund. "Are you alright?"

"Of course," he said, kissing her.

...

"Hey, Ryan," Jake stopped him outside Gillian's door.

"Jake, how is she?" he asked.

"Good, she's sleeping right now."

"Is it okay for us to go in, or should we come back later?"

"She'll probably wake up soon, you and Katalin can go in and wait."

"Okay, thanks," he said, pushing open the door. With Kata perched on his arm, he crossed the room and sat by the bed. They only waited a few moments before Gillian stirred.

"Ryan?"

"Hey Princess, how're you feeling?" he asked.

"I've been better," she murmured. "Kata…"

"Hi Mommy."

Gillian looked back up at Ryan. "Ryan, I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

"Ryan…"

"Not right now, okay?"

She nodded. She then turned to Katalin. "Happy Birthday, Kata."

Kata smiled.

"Did you tell your daddy it's your birthday?"

"Yup."

"I'm so glad Ray didn't find her," Gillian said to Ryan.

"Don't even think about it," he said, shifting Kata to his other knee.

"Ryan, if you're mad at me, we need to talk about this. I know that if I was you, I'd be mad at me."

"I'm not mad, okay," he said, standing up, still holding Kata.

"Ryan, I'd understand if you are. If you're not, then, what's wrong? You're acting all distant."

At first he didn't answer. "Gillian, I can't help but think this is all my fault."

Jake knocked on the door.

...

Edmund and Maria came down the steps and into the living room where Isabela, Mateo, and Rosa were waiting. As soon as they entered, Isabela stood and rushed to Maria.

"Oh, mija," she said as they hugged.

"Mama."

"Julia was right, you are here, and you're okay, and you're just as beautiful as ever," she told her daughter with tears in her eyes.

"You look great, too, Mama."

"Maria," Mateo said as he and Rosa joined them.

"We've missed you so much," Rosa told her.

Isabela stood back, looking at the three of her children standing there. "I just don't know what to say, it's a miracle."

"Mama, sit down," Maria said, going over to the couch.

Mateo said something to Rosa and she nodded and followed him out of the room.

"You know, I never wanted to believe that you were gone."

"It's okay."

"But you were still so alive to me because I saw your spark in Maddie's eyes."

"Everyone keeps saying how much she reminds them of me. I guess when I look at her I just see her as her own little person."

"She's definitely her own person. Her and Sammy both are such good children."

"Edmund has done a wonderful job raising them."

"He's no doubt glad that he does not have to do it alone anymore."

"Hopefully we will be able to look after them both for a long, long time."

"Oh, Maria," Isabela said, taking her daughter's hand. "We've all missed you so much."

Maria pulled her mother closer to her and their tears fell as they embraced.

... 

"Jake, come in," Gillian said.

"Hey, how's my favorite patient doing?" he asked, going over to Gillian.

"Pretty good, I think—very sore."

"That's to be expected after what you went through," he said, flipping through her chart. "How's your head feeling?"

"Not bad, really."

"How'd you like to get out of here?"

"Already?"

"Your injuries only warranted a 24 hour stay, you'll need to change the dressing on the cut on your forehead every day and get plenty of rest, those ribs are going to be sore for a little while."

"I'll take care of her," Ryan offered.

"Ryan, please don't feel obligated," she told him.

"No, I want to," he said. "Jake, could you give me and Gillian some time alone?"

"Sure. Want me to take Kata for a bit?"

"Yeah, I mean, if that's okay with her," Ryan said, turning to Kata. "Can you go with Jake for a little bit?"

She nodded. Ryan put her down and she took Jake's hand, waving goodbye to her parents.

"Thanks Jake," Ryan told him.

Ryan sat down next to Gillian.

"Was she good for you last night?" she asked.

"She was perfect, Gillian," he told her. 

"Thank you for finding her."

"No need," he said, looking down.

"I was going to tell you."

"It's okay."

"I had actually just picked up the phone to call you and see if you could come over so I could tell you about her when Ray showed up."

"Gillian, I told you that it doesn't matter now," he said, standing up and running his fingers through his hair.

"Ryan, then what is wrong?"

"If I wouldn't—if I wasn't such a jerk when we got divorced, this wouldn't have happened."

"Ryan, it's not your fault."

"But it is, okay? You see, if I wouldn't have been so stupid, we would still be together. I told you that I couldn't be with you because I didn't think I was good enough to have someone as precious as you. I thought I was going to end up just like my brother and hurt you the way he hurt women. And instead you left Pine Valley and ended up living with Ray."

"Ray isn't your fault."

"If I wouldn't have turned you away like I did you would never have met him. He'd never have hurt you. I was stupid to think I would turn into someone like that, someone just like him, because I would never hurt you like that, Princess. And if we wouldn't have gotten divorced, then I would have been there with you when Katalin was born. But I missed everything, and that's my own fault. See, you can't blame yourself for not telling me," he said, sitting back down beside her. "So, from now on, I'm going to take care of you and Katalin the best that I can. If that's okay with you."

She took his hand. "Of course it is." 


	32. Chapter 32

A Place In the Sun

32 

"Hey, I wanted to make sure I saw you before I left the hospital," Jake said, coming into Gillian's room.

"Come on in."

"I wanted to wait till Ryan and Kata weren't in the room."

"Why, Jake, what's wrong?" she asked, sitting up alarmed.

"Oh, no, nothing's wrong. At least I don't think so. Gillian, you're pregnant."

"What? Oh my God, last night, did Ray…" she said with a look of disgust.

"No, no, no. Dad didn't want to do any x-rays on you until he knew if you could be pregnant, and then the blood work came back positive so he did an ultrasound and he said you're about four weeks along."

Gillian gave a sigh of relief. "Wow…I don't know what to say…four weeks, so a month ago…it is definitely Ryan's…"

"That's good to hear."

"I made Ryan dinner that night and then he was all upset about Joanna, he ended up spending the night…" she smiled.

"I thought that I'd tell you without him here so you could tell him yourself. I'm sorry he heard about Katalin from me and Kelsey."

"No, it was my own fault for not telling him sooner. And thank you for telling me, I promise that I will tell him."

"Good, good."

"So, the baby is alright?"

"Dad said everything looks normal, but you should make an appointment within the next week to make sure."

"I will, I'll call Dr. Clader tomorrow," she said, hardly able to contain her happiness. "Thanks Jake."

"You just take care of yourself and that baby, okay?" he said, standing up to go.

"I promise."

"I've gotta go. They'll probably let you out of this place in a few hours."

"Bye Jake."

Once alone, she held her hands to her tummy. "Wow, another baby with Ryan. Things are going to be done right this time, no secrets."

... 

Bobby walked up to his and Anita's apartment late that evening; he hadn't been able to bring himself to go home yet. He saw the light was on and wondered if he should stay away until she wasn't there. Finally decided that he had to face her and went inside.

"Anita?" he called after stepping in the front door.

"Just go away, Bobby," she said from the bedroom.

He followed her voice and then stood at the doorway. "Where are you going?"

"I can't stay here," she said, holding back tears as she put clothes in a suitcase.

"Yes you can," he said, getting out his suitcase. "I already called Opal and she said I could stay there for a while."

"Mama said I can stay there with her and Rosa."

"Anita, I'll keep paying the rent on this place, you can stay here as long as you want."

She put a few more things in her suitcase before stopping. "Thanks Bobby. I didn't really want to go home."

"Well, I guess I'll see you around," he said, standing up with his full suitcase. "I'll probably be by in a few days or so to get the rest of my stuff."

She nodded and he left the apartment.

...

"Here, let me just get the door for you," Ryan said as he helped Gillian to his apartment with Katalin keeping close to their sides.

"Thank you Ryan," she said.

He opened the door as the three of them gasped.

"Ryan, who did this?" Gillian asked.

"Look at all the balloons!" Katalin exclaimed as she looked around.

"Kata, stay with your mom, both of you, stay put," Ryan said as he looked around the apartment. He found a note on the counter and picked it up. "'Here's hoping Gillian a speedy recovery and a happy birthday to Katalin. Love, Myrtle.'"

"She did all of this?" Gillian asked. Katalin squealed with excitement as her parents let her into the apartment.

"I guess so…when Jake got off earlier I had him take a key and go to Myrtle's to get some of your things, she must have come with him."

"Presents!" Kata ran to the couch where a small stack of presents sat.

"Sweetie, wait a second, let us see who they're from before you open them," Gillian said, wanting to make sure none from Ray had made their way there that could hurt any of them. Ryan helped her to the couch and then sat down on the coffee table opposite of them.

Kata picked up the first one and handed the card to her parents.

"It's from Myrtle, go ahead, open it," Gillian told her.

Katalin quickly ripped away the paper and opened the box.

"She looks like me," Kata said as she picked up the doll in the box. "See, same hair and same eyes."

"She is beautiful," Gillian said. "Just like you."

"Can I open another one?" she smiled.

"Card?" Ryan asked. She handed it to him. "It's from Jake."

Kata took off the paper and held up a video. "It's Cinderella, Mommy!"

"Oh, your favorite! We haven't seen that one in a long time, have we?"

Katalin shook her head, "No, we left Cinderella at our old home."

She looked down at the movie in her hands, in thought. "Mommy, I don't want Ray to come again."

"Oh, baby, I know, I know," she said, rubbing her back.

Ryan sat down next to Katalin, "I'm going to do everything I can to make sure he never hurts you or your mommy again."

...

"Bobby is that you?" Opal called as Bobby walked through the front door.

"Yeah, Opal, I'm just going to go upstairs and put this stuff away."

"No, no, come on in here and sit down a bit," she told him.

He went into the living room and sat down in a chair.

"Was she there?"

"Anita? Yeah."

"I don't mean to stick my nose in your business—"

"Yes, you do, Opal, but that's just you."

"Was she upset?"

"Of course she was. Wouldn't you be if you'd caught your husband kissing his ex-wife last night?"

"Well I reckon so."

"I hate that I hurt her," he said, burying his head in his hands.

"But isn't staying with her even though you don't love her anymore hurting her, too?"

"I guess you're right."

"You don't love her anymore, right?"

"Not the way I used to. Not like she deserves to be."

"Have you talked to Kelsey?"

"Not yet."

"Are you gonna?"

"I think I'll just lock myself upstairs and never come down," Bobby half-kidded.

"I think it attests to the fact that Kelsey has grown up that she isn't over here pounding down the door right now. A couple of years ago had you done what you did, she'd of been here moving trucks and all."

Bobby laughed at that. "I'll call her tonight, maybe we'll have dinner sometime soon or something." He stood to leave.

"Don't rush things."

"I don't plan on it."

"Use your head, I know you've got a good one on them shoulders."

"Thanks Opal."

...

Gillian wanted to quickly get Kata's mind off of the night before. "Kata, there's one more present."

Katalin handed her the note on top of it.

"'This arrived this morning from Dimitri'," Gillian read the note in Myrtle's handwriting. 

Ryan helped Kata with the tape on the box and then she carefully lifted out an old china teacup.

"Oh," Gillian gasped, looking into the box. "These were mine when I was a child."

Kata placed all of the pieces onto the coffee table.

"They're pretty, Mommy," Katalin said, with an awestruck look.

"I can't believe Dimitri found these."

"Do I have a cake for my birthday?"

"Myrtle left one over on the counter," Ryan told her.

"Can we eat it on these?" she asked, her eyes wide.

"I don't see why not," Gillian told her. Ryan stacked up the plates and cups and carried them into the kitchen area. Katalin followed him.

Ryan found a knife and cut three pieces. He handed the first plate to Kata and told her to give it to Gillian. Slowly she walked with it, being very careful. Ryan found a small candle and put it in one of the remaining slices and lit it for Kata. He then joined them on the couch and held the slice with the candle in front of Kata.

He looked and Gillian and they sung, "Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear Kata. Happy birthday to you."

Kata blew the candle out and smiled at both her parents. They all ate their cake.

"I'm sorry I don't have a present for you," Ryan told her.

She shook her head.

Gillian quickly explained, "The only thing she really wanted for her birthday, she did get. She drew a picture yesterday and she told me the only thing she wanted for her birthday was her daddy."

Ryan looked down at his daughter and stroked her hair as tears began to well in his eyes. She looked up at him.

"Daddy, don't cry," she told him.

"Baby, I'm not sad," he told her, picking her up and sitting down next to Gillian with Kata on his lap. Katalin relaxed into his arms.

"I think your Daddy is just happy to have you here," Gillian told her.

Ryan and Gillian watched as Kata's eyes began to droop.

"She's had a long day," Ryan said. "You should get to bed, too."

"You're right," Gillian said as Ryan helped her up. Ryan left Kata on the couch and put a blanket over her.

They entered the bedroom and Gillian lay down on the bed. Ryan pulled the covers up and knelt down beside her.

"Do you need anything before you go to sleep?" he asked her.

"Just one thing," she said, motioning for him to come closer. He leaned in and she pulled his head closer to her face and gave him a kiss. "Thank you."

"There's no need to thank me."

"You're the most amazing man I have ever known, Ryan Lavery."

"The amazing one is you. I've missed you so much," he said, standing up. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Ryan, don't go," she told him.

"What?"

"Stay, please."

"I'll be right out there with Kata."

"Bring her in here. I will sleep much better with both of you right here."

He did as he asked her to and carried Katalin in and lay down beside her, Kata nestled in one arm and the other around Gillian. 


	33. Chapter 33

A Place In the Sun

33

"Mommy, where are you going?" Kata asked as Gillian brushed her daughter's hair a week after she'd gone home.

"Just to the hospital for a check up to make sure everything's alright," she said, putting the brush down.

"How long?"

"I'll meet you and Daddy at Wildwind, okay?"

"I get to play with Maddie and Sam?" she asked, excited.

"Yes, now you listen to your Daddy while I am gone, and remember, do not open the door for anyone," Gillian warned.

"Yes, Mommy," she said. Gillian kissed the top of her head and then Kata went off to play.

"You leaving?" Ryan asked, coming out from taking a shower.

Gillian nodded, "I will meet you at Wildwind, okay?"

"Of course," he said, giving her a kiss. "I still can't believe about Maria."

"I know. I have got to get going. Bye."

"Bye, Gillian. Be careful," he said as she picked up her keys and left.

"Daddy, who's Maria?" Katalin asked him.

"Huh? Oh, did you hear me and Mommy talking about tonight?"

"Yeah." 

"Maria is Sam and Maddie's mom."

"Maddie said her Mommy was in Heaven," Kata said, looking skeptical.

"Well it's kind of complicated," he said, sitting down and pulling her onto his lap. "Everyone thought she was, but turns out she's not." 

"Okay," Katalin said, still looking at him strangely.

"You'll meet her tonight," he told her, tousling her hair.

"Okay." Kata sounded somewhat more content and went back to her toys.

……….

Edmund came up behind Maria and kissed her on the neck as she was arranging some flowers for the table.

"You know we have people who would do this for you," he told her.

"I want to do something to get ready," she said, enjoying his embrace.

"Or we could go back upstairs…we still have a few hours until anyone arrives."

"We can't do that 24/7!" she laughed.

"Technically we could…"

"Edmund!" she said turning around.

He kissed her again.

"Oh, I am so grateful," she sighed.

"No, I am. You can't know how many times I dreamed that I would have you right back here." 

"You know I think that you have said that or something to that effect about every hour since I've been here," she laughed.

"Because it's true."

"And I don't think either one of us has stopped smiling."

"Why would we?"

They kissed again, but stopped when they heard giggling.

"What?" Edmund asked, as they turned to see both the kids standing in the doorway with their hands over their mouths. 

"You keep kissing!" Maddie giggled.

"Well isn't that what mommies and daddies are supposed to do?" Maria asked. 

"Isn't it?" Edmund echoed as both of them rushed towards their children, each scooping up a kid in their arms and tickling them.

"Let me down! Let me down!" they protested.

……….

Joe had already checked out Gillian and now Dr. Clader was nearly finished with his examination.

"How does it look?" she asked as he looked at the ultrasound screen.

"Of course, it's so early it's all pretty hard to see," eh said, trying to get a better picture. "But everything does appear to be normal."

Gillian gave a sigh of relief. 

"You can get dressed now and I'll be waiting in my office for you," he told her before exiting. 

A few minutes later she sat down in a chair opposite of Dr. Clader in his office.

"So, do you think it's safe to say the baby will be alright?" she asked him. 

"As I told you before, everything looks normal; the placenta appears to be intact, and that was the thing I was most worried about due to the trauma you experienced." 

"July? Right?"

"Late July," he told her. "Now, you already have a child, correct?"

"Katalin just turned four." 

"I haven't seen your records from then, so I wanted to ask you some things about how your pregnancy went. Any problems?"

"At first it was normal. Actually, things went smoothly until right before she was born, no really bad morning sickness or anything like that. A few days before she was born, I had some bleeding so I went in to have it checked out and my doctor told me that the placenta had partially detached. I was admitted then and they decided to do a cesarean three days later."

"How many weeks early was she?"

"Seven," she told him.

"Did they know what caused that to happen?" 

She shook her head, "No, they could not find the reason."

"Well, I will try and get those records here as soon as possible," he told her. "And this isn't meant to worry you, but I'm going to consider this pregnancy as high risk, partially because of what happened last week and also because of what happened with your previous pregnancy."

"Okay, I understand."

"So we'll be keeping a closer eye on you and the baby, to make sure everything goes well," Dr. Clader said as they both stood.

"Thank you."

"No need, it's my job. You just take care of yourself."

"I will."

"Goodbye."

"Bye."

……….

Bobby held the phone as it rang on the other end. The machine picked up.

"Hey, Kels…it's me again, wish you'd return my calls. It's been a week and it seems like you've just disappeared. Just need to talk, we need to talk soon. Call me back, 'kay?"

"No luck still?" Opal asked as she walked into the room. 

He shook his head. "Either she's gone into hiding or she's just avoiding me." 

"Very un-Kelsey," she remarked.

"Yeah…I mean I didn't expect her to be here pounding down the door, she's above that. But she's not returning my calls or anything, the total opposite. I'm kind of worried." 

"Did you try Joe and Ruth's?" 

"If she was there they weren't telling me. It's so weird…" 

"It isn't like her to not confront things." 

"It isn't." 

They both turned toward the door as the bell rang. Bobby offered to get it. 

Bobby opened the door. 

"Kelsey." 


	34. Chapter 34

A Place In the Sun

34

Gillian knocked on the door at Wildwind and was quickly greeted by Edmund.

"Come on in. Ryan and Katalin are already here, along with about half of Pine Valley," he said, taking her coat. "How are you?"

"I am doing great," she told him.

"I'd say that you're glowing," he said.

"And the same for you." 

"Is that Gillian?" they heard from the living room.

"Maria!" Gillian exclaimed. 

"Gillian, it's so great to see you!" Maria said, running in and giving her a hug.

"I still can't believe, after all these years…"

"That's what everyone keeps saying," Maria laughed.

"Mommy!" Katalin came running in.

"Hey, baby," Gillian said, kneeling down to Kata's level.

"Did the doctor say you're okay?" she asked.

Gillian nodded. "Almost as good as new."

"Me and Daddy will still take care of you," Kata told her as she led her to the dining room.

Dinner passed with everyone talking, catching up on all that had happened. Afterwards, Edmund offered to watch Katalin and suggested that Ryan and Gillian go home for some alone time. Julia and Tyler also said that they were going to go. As they all prepared to leave, Anita quickly excused herself and went outside on the terrace. 

She sat down in a chair and pulled her knees up to her chin, furiously wiping away the tears that she'd been holding in.

Maria had noticed her sister's quick exit and immediately followed.

……….

"SOS, how can I help you?" Tracy asked as she answered the phone.

"Guess who," a male voice asked.

"I don't need to and I don't want to, and I don't want to have anything to do with you," she replied.

"Aw, you're no fun anymore."

"I can have this phone number traced and the police will find you."

"And if you turn me in then I'll make sure they know your involvement."

"How was I supposed to know what you were planning to do? I thought we were innocently trying to keep Ryan and Gillian apart. You almost killed her, Ray, I told you that Ryan was at SOS and not with her that night and you beat her within an inch of her life."

"Seems like she's doing alright now."

"I'm hanging up now," she said, shuddering at the thought that he was still watching Gillian.

"No, you won't. If you don't do exactly as I say the police will be certain to hear that you were an accomplice. Or I could just punish you myself."

"What do you want?" she quickly answered. 

"The usual."

"I don't know where they are tonight."

"You're lying to me."

Knowing it was useless, she answered him, "They all went to Wildwind for dinner."

"You should be grateful that you cooperated," he said, hanging up the phone.

Her hand shaking, Tracy put the phone back on the receiver as someone from the front yelled for her to get back to work.

……….

"Kelsey," Bobby said as she stood at the door.

"Hi, Bobby," she said quietly, looking down. 

"Come in, it's freezing out there," he told her, ushering her in and taking her coat. Opal quickly greeted Kelsey and then made herself scarce.

"I've been looking all over town for you," he said as they sat down.

"Yeah, I know," she said, her stomach in knots. 

"You got my messages?"

She nodded. 

"Where have you been?"

"My grandparents' house. I must be awful predictable since you tried me there, too."

"Then why didn't you call? I was really starting to get worried about you," he said, taking her hand.

"Bobby?" she asked, pulling away from him and finally looking him in the eyes. "Tell me, is this for real?

……….

"Anita?" Maria asked, going towards where her sister was sitting. 

"Just go back inside, being in there with everyone so happy is a little hard. I just need a few minutes alone," Anita said, not turning to face Maria.

"Hey, don't give me that," she said, sitting down beside her.

"You don't need to be bothered with the mess I've made of my life."

"I don't? Last I checked, I was your big sister, and I think that means that I should do all I can to help you out." 

"I don't need anyone's help." 

"Maybe not, but I could give you a shoulder to cry on."

"I'll deal." 

"Have you seen him since?"

"Just once when he came to get some of his things," Anita said, pushing away another tear.

"Do you think you'll try and work things out? I mean, you can't give up just like that."

"It's not giving up, really. I've had a lot of time to think about it and it's really more like facing everything I was oblivious to for so long."

"You don't seem to give yourself any credit, Anita."

"No, it's the truth. I was perfectly happy believing that my marriage was good and all. But Bobby and I, we've grown apart. He's like, all ready to settle down. He jumped at the idea to get a place here in Pine Valley; he's ready to have kids. It's really weird; I always thought I'd be the one ready to be a parent first. Right now, though, I want to just have fun, I want to travel, you know, just enjoy life with no real responsibilities. We're not on the same page anymore and I guess it just took seeing them together to make me see that." 

……….

It had just started to snow as Ray watched Ryan and Gillian enter their apartment building. He quickly got into a car and took off towards Wildwind.

Once inside the apartment, Ryan pulled the couch up to a window and Gillian laid down with her head in his lap as they watched the snow fall. 

The phone rang, Gillian was about to get up to answer it, but Ryan stopped her. "If it's important, they'll call back," he assured her.

"You've been really quiet this whole week." 

"Kata and I have been busy taking care of you; you've needed your rest," he said, stroking her hair. "It's still hard to believe all this."

She rolled onto her back to face him as he continued.

"All these years…I really thought that I'd never see you again, much less-" 

"Ryan-"

"Shhh," he said, placing a finger on her lips.

"I just do not know how you can be so forgiving," she said as she sat up and looked into his eyes.

"I would rather have you now than never. All those months since you've been back here, you'd been so distant-"

"I did not know how to tell you."

"I thought maybe you didn't feel the same anymore."

"Ryan, I never stopped-" she said, shaking her head.

"I know that now." 

"Katalin always knew how much I loved you, I made sure she knew that even though you were not with us that you loved her."

……….

"So what do you plan on doing?" Maria asked her sister.

"I thought maybe I'd go down to Texas for a little while and stay with some friends I've kept up with there. And then, who knows? I mean, that's what I want, right?"

"It'll do you some good to take some time away from everyone," Maria assured her.

"I think so." 

"And if you ever need anything, I'm always a phone call away." 

"Thank you," Anita said, a few moments later.

"For what?"

"Just listening. I never thought you'd be able to do that for me again, you know, just be a phone call away."

Maria gave her little sister a hug.

"You ready to go back in? It's really cold out here."

"Yeah, yeah I am," Anita said, giving her a smile. 


	35. Chapter 35

A Place In the Sun

35

"What do you mean, 'is this real?', Kelsey?" Bobby asked her.

"I guess I've just been hurt too many times in my life," she said, standing up and circling to the back of the couch. "Granted, most of it was my own fault. But this is just really, really hard for me to believe. I mean, I thought we were just friends, and I was extremely grateful for that. If someone would have pulled all the things I did on you to me, I don't think I could ever forgive them. But somehow you did. Bobby, I took our son away from two parents who love him so much and I used Sam to get you to marry me. You married me even though you didn't love me. I just feel sick when I think back on all the things I did."

"Kelsey, you're a much different person now. Don't be so hard on yourself."

"I just don't know what to think. Everything happened so fast that night at the hospital. I was apologizing to you for telling you about Maria and messing things up with you and Anita and then all of a sudden you were kissing me. What you said, were you serious?" she asked as she sat back down.

"First off, you didn't mess things up with Anita; we did that all on our own. And second, of course I'm serious," he said, brushing her hair out of her face. "I didn't plan for this to happen, it just did."

"So tell me," she said quietly. "What is 'this'?"

"Honestly," he paused. "I'm not sure. I know that in that moment, I had to be close to you. And I know that the feelings I have for you are much stronger than I could have ever imagined. I've been trying to, you know, not follow what I'm feeling, because, just like everything you said. I should know better than to want to get involved with you. No offense, of course." 

"None taken," she smiled. 

"But it just happened. I found myself wanting to be with you." 

Kelsey closed her eyes to hold back tears and stood up, facing away from Bobby.

"Kelsey?" he stood up, also.

"Bobby, I'm sorry. Really, I am. Seven, eight years ago if you would have said any of that to me, I would have been doing flips I'd have been so happy. But after you left with Anita and then I went away to school, I came to terms with the fact that you'd never feel for me the same way I felt for you. If what I felt for you then was even anything, thinking back on how stupid I was. Bobby, I wanted you so much, and the only reason you had anything to do with me was because of Sam. And, what? Now out of the blue, at least to me, you want to give me a chance?" 

"Yeah, I mean, is that so hard to believe?" 

"Yeah... You know what? I need, I need to just go, okay?" she said, going out to the hallway. "I know this sounds really bad, but it's not you, Bobby, it's me, and I don't know if I can go down this road again."

"Kels, don't go," he said, following her.

"I have to," she said, putting on her coat and opening the door.

"Are you sure you should drive in this weather?" he asked.

"It's not far, I'll be okay," she told him, running to her car.

……….

"So where are we going?" Julia asked Tyler as he drove.

"Can't stand the suspense, huh?" he asked. 

"Not really," she said. "C'mon, tell me!"

"Every one of my surprises seems to get ruined, so no, you'll just have to wait." 

"Hey, I didn't ruin it when you proposed to me; you were the one who was too impatient." 

"You should have seen the view where I was going to ask you. We'll have to go up there someday."

"The bank of the river was fine with me. Anywhere you are is fine with me," she smiled. "So, where are we going?"

"Ok, I've got us a room at a nice-but not too expensive- hotel in the city. No one is expecting us in Pine Valley for a few days, and no one knows where we are, so we'll have some good alone time before the holidays," he said.

Julia laughed, "I definitely think I'll need all the energy I can get to make it through this. I mean, not that I don't love my family, but I'm sure that my mother is going to make all this a big, big family deal with all of us back at home, and of course because of Maria."

"Exactly, so we'll have a few quiet days, order room service, and just relax."

"Sounds good to me," she smiled.

"We're almost there," he said, looking at the street signs.

……….

"I was so scared the night that Ray hurt you," Ryan told her as he stroked her hair. "I know I didn't tell you that, but I was. As soon as I heard Jake and Kelsey talking, I couldn't find Kata quick enough. Just the thought that Ray could have hurt her…"

"I'm so sorry," Gillian said as they embraced.

"Just promise me-"

"What?" 

"No more secrets, okay?"

"Of course, of course."

"From now on, we're going to do things right," he said, standing up to get something from the bedroom.

"Wait, sit down," she said, pulling him back to the couch. "No more secrets, right?"

"Right."

"I, I have something to tell you."

"What?"

"I should have already told you, I know, but I wasn't sure, I wanted to make sure everything was alright first."

"Gillian, what is it?" he asked, his mind racing.

"Ryan, I'm-we are going to have a baby," she nearly whispered.


	36. Chapter 36

A Place In the Sun

36

Ray watched through a window as Edmund carried Katalin up the stairs at Wildwind. She was already fast asleep on his shoulder.

He deftly made his way to the back of the estate, careful to avoid being seen on any of the surveillance cameras. Within a few minutes he was able to cut power to all of Wildwind. 

Inside, Sam and Maddie yelled for their father.

"Daddy, what happened?" Sam asked as Edmund and Maria joined their children. 

"The snow storm must have knocked out the power," he said, lighting a candle.

"I don't mind the dark," Maddie told Maria, who had immediately pulled her into her lap.

"Really, you're not scared?" 

Maddie shook her head, "I'm not, but Sammy is," she giggled.

"Aww, come here," Maria said, putting an arm around Sam.

"I'm not that scared," he told her.

"It's okay, I'm sure your Daddy will figure out what's wrong soon."

"Mitch," Edmund said, addressing a guard who had just walked into the room.

"Mr. Grey," he said, motioning for him to come closer.

"Is there something wrong?"

"I called the power company and it seems that no one else in the area has lost power. Only Wildwind has been affected."

……….

"1405, here it is," Tyler said as he opened the door to the hotel room.

"Oh, wow," Julia said as she looked around the room. "Are you sure this isn't too expensive?"

"Don't you worry any about that," he said, pulling her closer to him.

"But look at the bed, and there's fresh flowers on the nightstand."

"I had the flowers sent up special," he said, kissing her. 

"You did?"

He nodded.

"How sweet," she said, kissing him.

"So, what do you want to do first? Order some food, find the hot tub?" he asked as he opened up the room service menu.

"No."

"What?"

"None of that."

"Then what?"

"Just this," she said, kissing him and then backing up towards the bed. She pulled the covers back and began slowly unbuttoning her shirt.

"Oh, that."

……….

"So what do you think happened to make us lose power?" Edmund asked the guard.

"All the men are on it, circling the grounds to see if maybe a tree fell on a line that goes from the main lines onto the property, or some other cause. As soon as I know more, I'll report back." 

With a nod, he left the room. Edmund turned back to his family. He gathered more candles and lit them.

"Daddy, I think that's enough," Maddie laughed. "It's not this bright when the lights are on!"

"It's a good thing that Kata is sleeping right through this; she hates the dark," Sam said.

"Edmund, why don't you go check on Katalin, just to make sure? I'll stay here with the kids," Maria suggested. 

Edmund agreed and was about to leave the room when another guard came in, out of breath. 

"Mr. Grey," he said as Edmund stopped.

"Did you find something?"

"Wires, some wires have been cut."

"Cut? You mean the storm didn't knock the power out?"

"Someone deliberately cut the power to Wildwind." 

Edmund looked at Maria as they both realized who would want to do that. Edmund grabbed the flashlight that was in the guard's hand as he and Maria, closely followed by Sam and Maddie, took off up the stairs. 

Edmund threw open the door to the room he'd left Kata in and looked around. The covers were left crumpled at the foot of the bed, but Katalin was nowhere to be seen. Edmund and Maria looked in the closets and under the bed calling for her; Sam and Maddie joined in. 

"Where is she?" Maddie asked, looking up at her parents with wide eyes. 

"There's drips on the carpet," Sam said, feeling it with his hand, "like someone was outside and came in with snow dripping off them." 

"I'm going to go call the police," Edmund said, leaving. 

"Did someone take Kata?" Maddie asked. 

"I don't know, baby, I sure hope not," Maria said, kneeling down to hug her children. 

……….

"What?" Ryan asked, standing up, shocked at Gillian's news. "Are you serious?" 

Gillian nodded with excitement.

"When? I mean, we only…"

"It only takes once, Ryan. That night at Myrtle's, about a month ago."

"Joanna's birthday…"

"I was going to tell you about Katalin that night but you were so upset, and then when we woke up in the morning I felt so guilty." 

"It doesn't matter now," he said, giving her a hug and a kiss. "We're going to have another baby."

"I love you." 

"I love you, too," he said, kissing her again. "Sit down, sit down," he told her, helping her back to the couch and putting her feet up. 

"Ryan, you are not going to baby me like that for the next eight months." 

"See, I've already missed a month of treating you like a princess, Princess." 

"Ryan…" she laughed. 

"So did you find this out earlier today?" 

She shook her head, "No, Jake told me before I left the hospital. I wanted to wait to tell you so that I could make sure things were alright, you know, because of what happened." 

"But the baby's fine?" 

"Dr. Clader said that so far everything looks fine. But he will be monitoring my pregnancy closer than most, especially since Katalin was early." 

"She was?" 

"Yeah, she was due January 5th, and of course she was born November 28th. It was scary then, but she was fine, just small." 

"I wish I could have been there with you." 

"I know, me too," she said as they kissed. 

"Stay right here, I've got something for you," he said, jumping up and running into the bedroom. She heard him rummaging in a drawer and he quickly joined her again on the couch. 

"What is it?" she asked. 

"This," he smiled, revealing a small box. He flipped back the lid and took out its contents. 

"Ryan, is that-" she stopped as he took her hand. 

"You should have this back," he said, putting the ring on her finger. 

"Do you mean?" 

"You're not going to say no, are you?" he asked. 

"Of course not," she said, caressing his face. 

"So, Gillian Andrassy, will you marry me? Again?" 

She pulled him closer to her and gave him a kiss. 

"Is that a yes?" he asked. 

She nodded as she wiped away a tear. 

……….

On a narrow road on his way out of town, Ray looked in his rearview mirror at the still-sleeping child in his backseat.

"That was almost too easy," he said to himself.


	37. Chapter 37

A Place In the Sun

37

"The police are on their way," Edmund said as he rejoined Maria and the children.

"Daddy, Kata's okay, right?" Maddie asked, tears in her eyes.

"Oh, baby," he said, kneeling down to her level and wiping her face. "We're going to do everything we can to get her back here safe."

"We need to call Ryan and Gillian," Maria said.

"Why don't we go on downstairs? The police are going to want to get any evidence they can from this room," Edmund said, picking Maddie up and leading the way downstairs.

After quickly building a fire in the fireplace, Edmund left to call Ryan and Gillian.

"Hello?" Ryan answered the phone quietly as Gillian lay asleep in his arms.

"Ryan, this is Edmund," he said, taking a deep breath.

"Edmund, what's wrong?" Ryan asked, sliding out from underneath Gillian and going over to the kitchen.

"You and Gillian need to get out to Wildwind."

"What's going on?"

"Ryan, Kata's missing."

"What?" he said loudly. Gillian sat up and turned towards him.

"What is it, Ryan?" she asked.

"We think that Ray has her," Edmund told Ryan.

"We're leaving right now," he said, hanging up the phone.

"Ryan, something is wrong…"

He nodded, "Kata's missing; Edmund thinks—he thinks that Ray kidnapped Kata."

"No," she said, shaking her head. "No, he can't…"

Ryan held Gillian close to him.

………. 

Bobby found some old pictures of him and Kelsey and Sam from high school. He flipped through the pages quickly and then sat the album aside.

"Maybe this is crazy," he said to himself.

He leaned his head against the back of the couch and closed his eyes for a few moments.

"You still up?" Opal asked, peeking into the room.

"There's no way I could sleep," he told her. "What're you doing up?"

"Middle of the night munchies," she said, showing a bag of popcorn.

"Have a seat," he told her, making room for her to sit down.

"Thinking about Kelsey?"

"Who else?"

"How'd things go between you earlier?"

"She freaked out. I don't know what's happening."

"I didn't want to tell you before, but I talked to Joe and Ruth a few days ago. I knew she was staying there." 

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"They said she wanted some time alone."

"Do they know why she's acting like this?"

"She hasn't really talked to them. Just kept to herself, only leaving the house to go to work. She looked absolutely awful when she was here earlier, if you ask me. Her face was all pale and her eyes puffy."

"I know. It was all I could do not hold her in my arms and take all the hurt away. But apparently she's hurting because of me…I just don't understand why she reacted this way, Opal."

"I know, sweetie, and I wish I had an answer for you. All I can tell you is to wait, she'll come around."

"I wish I had your confidence."

"You should get some sleep," she said, standing up.

"I'll try," Bobby said, watching as she left the room.

"How can I sleep when every time I close my eyes, I just see you, Kelsey?" he asked himself, taking another look at a picture he had set aside.

……….

Gillian didn't need to speak for Ryan to know exactly what she was thinking as they made their way towards Wildwind. Thankfully the roads he needed to take had been well traveled since it had begun to snow and it did not take them much longer than usual to arrive.

When they pulled in, the estate was completely lit up, the power having been restored, and they saw a policeman at the door. Quickly as they could, Ryan and Gillian got out of the truck, slamming the doors shut, and ran to the entrance.

"Any news?" Ryan asked.

The officer shook his head, "Sorry, we just got here a few minutes ago ourselves."

Without hesitating another moment, the couple went inside to find Edmund and Maria.

"We shouldn't have left her alone. I should have stayed with her," they heard Maria say, near hysterics. "As soon as the power went out, I should have checked on her."

"Maria, sit down," Edmund tried to calm her, forcing her to sit as they both turned to see Ryan and Gillian come in.

"The officer at the door said they don't know anything else yet," Ryan said.

"There's a few people upstairs examining the room, and a couple more are in the back looking at where the electrical wires were cut." 

"And you're certain that it was Ray?" Ryan asked Edmund.

"Who else would do something like this?" Gillian asked, sinking into a chair and closing her eyes.

"Are any officers trying to follow him or anything?" Ryan asked.

"They couldn't, all they could tell was when he turned out of Wildwind, he left going away from town, but the road forks less than a mile away from here and they couldn't tell which way he went after that," Edmund told him. 

"I'm going to check on Sam and Maddie," Maria said, excusing herself.

"That's the fifth time in fifteen minutes she's checked on them," Edmund said.

"Do the police have people looking for Ray and Kata in the next towns?" 

"They've put out APB's on both of them and alerted police, but some places are hit with this weather harder than here."

"So it's going to be tough for them to do anything…" Ryan remarked.

"We have to go out and look; your truck will make it through the snow," Gillian said slowly.

"You're not going anywhere, Princess," he said, his eyes not leaving Gillian as he kneeled down beside her. "Edmund, go get Gillian a glass of water." Edmund left quickly.

"No, we have to find her," Gillian told him.

"I know, and we will, but right now you look really pale."

Edmund handed Gillian a glass and she took a few sips.

"Mr. Grey," an officer said, coming into the room. "We need to speak with each of you, individually."

"Can it wait?" Ryan asked. "Gillian isn't feeling well."

"We need to get as much information as possible," the officer told him.

"I am fine, Ryan," Gillian said. "Anything I can do to get Katalin back here safe, I have got to do it."

……….

Bobby woke up not an hour after Opal had left, his head filled with worry.

"I shouldn't have let her go out in this weather by herself," he said out loud. He searched for the phone and quickly dialed Kelsey's number.

There was no answer at her apartment. He tried her cell phone; again, there was no answer. He tried the apartment again, hoping that she was asleep and had not heard the phone the first time, but she still did not pick up.

"Kelsey, I just want to make sure you got home, or somewhere, alright," he said, this time dialing Joe and Ruth's number. "Someone's got to be home at your grandparents'."

Still no one answered. By this time, Bobby was nearly in a state of panic. He tried the three numbers again, but there was no change.

He looked outside; the sun had already begun to rise. Bobby scribbled a note to Opal and grabbed his coat, going out in the snow to find Kelsey.

………. "Hi, I'm Officer Watkins," a petite woman introduced herself as she sat down opposite Gillian.

Gillian nodded as she took another drink of water.

"First I want to ask you some questions about your daughter. Could you describe her for me?"

"She just turned four years old; she is three foot tall, brown eyes, long light brown hair that curls up at the ends. She looks more like Ryan than me."

"Do you have any pictures of her with you?"

"Yes, of course," she said, fumbling through her bag and producing several photos of Katalin.

"Can you describe what she was wearing when you last saw her?"

"She was wearing this new pink velvet jumper that I bought her last week. It is dark pink and she had on a white shirt underneath it, white tights, and black little dress shoes. But she has some spare clothes here, so Maria might have changed her into a nightgown."

"Someone will find that out. Where were you tonight?" 

"I was at home with Ryan."

"Your daughter's father?"

"Yes, Katalin is Ryan's daughter."

"And you and your daughter are currently living with him?"

"Yes."

"Would Ryan have any reason to want to take your daughter from you?"

"What are you asking me?" Gillian aske d. "Ryan would never take Katalin from me. We are together, and we are going to be remarried. Ray took Kata; there is no question in my mind." 

"This is the man accused of attacking you on November 27th?"

"Yes, there is a warrant out for his arrest."

"And you believe he may have taken your daughter?"

"Yes, he wants to hurt me. He wants me to be with him. We lived with him before we came back to Pine Valley."

"How long have you known him?"

"Since I was pregnant with Katalin. I met Ray in July of 1999."

"In the assault report you filed, it said he had been violent towards you before. When did that begin?"

"About two years ago. Something happened between him and his brother, whom I never met. They got in a fight over the phone and as far as I know they have never spoken since. Before that day he was the perfect boyfriend…the day he laid a hand on Katalin was the day we left," Gillian said, wiping away her tears.

"Thank you, that's enough for now," Officer Watkins told her, standing up.

Gillian buried her face in her hands. Within a few minutes, Ryan came back into the room and sat down beside her.

He put his arm around her and told her, "We will find Katalin; we'll get our daughter back." 


	38. Chapter 38

A Place In the Sun

38

Tyler kissed Julia awake as the sun streamed through the window.

"Good morning," he told her.

She smiled, "It is when that's what I get to wake up to." Julia kissed him, running her hand over his head. She then got up and went into the bathroom.

"So what do you have planned for us today?" she asked.

"Right now I'm gonna order us some food," Tyler said as he looked at the room service menu. "What do you want?"

"I don't care," she said, deep in thought.

Tyler made the call and had hung up by the time Julia came back into the bedroom.

She sat down on the bed and looked at him, her eyes wide with excitement, "I've got a crazy idea."

"What?" he asked, seeing her seriousness and sitting down beside her.

"What if we just went ahead and did it?"

"Did what?"

"You know, got married."

……….

Instinctively, Katalin did not open her eyes when she woke up that morning. She lay there listening. She knew something was not right.

The floor beneath her was cold and hard, and the blanket covering her was thin. She could feel that she was still wearing the velvet jumper she had worn to the dinner party.

The door opened and a rush of cold air swept around her; she couldn't help but shiver. Kata heard heavy footsteps as someone entered. She thought hard about how she got here, and then remembered waking up last night in the backseat of a car. Ray had been singing along with the radio.

Katalin smelled bacon cooking, and several minutes later, she heard the footsteps again.

"Breakfast is ready," Ray said.

Katalin did not reply.

"I know you're awake, you could never sleep this late." The footsteps faded off; she heard the sound of a chair being pulled out.

Slowly she opened her eyes and took in her surroundings. She had been sleeping on a wooden floor, and a fireplace was nearby, but not lit. A door led into what must be the kitchen. She stood up and wrapped the thin blanket around her shoulders as she walked slowly towards where she had heard the footsteps go. Hesitantly, she peered into the kitchen to see Ray sitting at the table eating.

"Come on in, I fixed you a plate," he told her. Silently, she obliged.

She ate quickly, and then sat in the chair, her hands in her lap for several minutes.

"What?" Ray asked her. 

"I want my Mommy," she whispered, tears brimming in her eyes.

………. 

"Right now?" Tyler asked.

"Why not?" Julia replied.

"We just got engaged. And your family, your mama would not be happy with either one of us if we eloped."

"Oh, we'll have a wedding later and invite the whole family, but getting married just for us, that is special."

Tyler crossed the room to the window and looked out at the snow blanketing the city. Julia watched him for a few moments, then went over and put a hand on his shoulder.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

He didn't respond at first, but then said, "I don't think we should rush anything."

Julia laughed, "I think we're already past that one."

"I know I proposed…and we haven't known each other that long…I just think we should wait a little while to get married," Tyler told her. 

"Are you having second thoughts?"

"No, nothing like that," he said, taking her hands. "I just don't want to do anything we might regret."

She looked at the ground, unsure what to say now. 

"I think I understand," she said, kissing his lips gently.

"I just want everything to be perfect for you. You deserve better than getting married at the courthouse."

"I think we should get home." Julia started picking up their clothes from the floor.

……….

Ryan woke up that morning sitting on the couch at Wildwind, Gillian asleep on his chest.

"Ryan," Edmund called to him from the door.

"Shhhh," he replied, carefully getting up so that he did not wake Gillian.

Once in the hallway, he asked, "Any news?"

Edmund shook his head. "No, police have been alerted all over the area, but nothing yet."

"Edmund, we've got to find her."

"We will."

"But after twenty-four hours, doesn't - doesn't the probability of finding her…" he trailed off, unable to say what he was thinking.

"Don't even think that," Maria said, coming down the stairs. "I was thinking, what does Ray have to gain if he hurt Katalin? Nothing. He has to be working an angle."

"But why would Ray want Katalin?" Ryan asked.

"Ray doesn't want just Kata," Maria told him. "He wants Gillian." 


	39. Chapter 39

A Place In the Sun

39

The distance between Cortlandt Manor and the Martin house was not more than a few miles, but as the sun rose that morning, Bobby felt as if he would never find Kelsey. Shortly after leaving, his car had skidded into a snow bank and would not budge. Instead of heading back, Bobby decided to find Kelsey on foot. 

He stopped to rest and pulled out his cell phone to try and reach her again. He left a message at her apartment.

"This is Bobby," he said to the machine. "I'm just calling to make sure you made it home safe. I know you're upset, but if you get this message before I see you, please, just call me so that I know you're safe, okay? Bye."

Bobby put his phone back in his pocket and went on. The sky was clear and the reflection of the sun on the snow nearly blinded him. 

As he came around a corner, he stopped dead in his tracks. He saw a car stuck in the ditch, nearly buried in the snow. The plates were still visible and he recognized them as Kelsey's.

Bobby ran to the car and began pushing the snow off it, trying to see inside.

"Kelsey!" he yelled. "Kels, are you in there?"

...

Julia looked over at Tyler as he drove back towards Pine Valley.

"I'm glad that your truck can handle all this snow," she said, trying to make conversation.

He nodded and kept staring at the road.

"So am I going to get the silent treatment all the way home?" she asked.

"I was just thinking, sorry," he said.

"Thinking about what?"

"What you said earlier."

"Ty, I told you I was sorry, I was feeling impulsive. You are right, we should wait."

"I think we should set a date."

"Really?" she asked, surprised.

"Yeah, we should."

"I was so sure earlier that I had ruined everything."

"No, never," he told her, running his hand through her hair.

"So?" she prodded.

"What?" he asked.

"When?" 

"Do I think we should get married?"

"Yes, what else do you think?"

"You're right, we should get married sooner rather than later."

"Tyler, if you think we should wait, we should."

"No, I told you, you are right. There's no doubt in my mind that I want to spend the rest of my life with you and there is no sense in waiting. But we should do this right, not run off and get married."

Julia smiled, "I love you."

"I love you, too," he said.

...

"Why would Ray want Katalin?" Ryan asked Maria.

"Ray doesn't want just Kata," she told him. "He wants Gillian."

"It makes sense," Edmund said.

"No, no, there is no way," Ryan said. "He's not going to get her."

"But whether or not he 'gets' her, it still may be what he wants," Maria said.

"Anything, anything but that," he told them. "I mean, any amount of money, anything else he could want, I could come up with somehow."

"If it's money he wants, you know that we'll help you out," Edmund assured him.

"But it is not just money he wants," Gillian said, joining them in the hall. "Maria is right. Ray will not be happy until I leave Pine Valley and go away with him."

...

"Come on," Ray said to Kata, taking her hand and leading her outside.

"Where are we going?" she asked as he pulled her through the snow.

"Just a little errand," he told her as he lifted her into the back seat. 

Quickly she fastened her seat belt and leaned her head against the window as Ray drove towards the main road. Within minutes she was asleep. 

When Katalin woke up, the car was stopped. She sat up and looked out to see Ray hand a white envelope to a young man. The men shook hands and then Ray returned to his car.

"Who was that?" Kata asked him once they were back on the road.

"He's just going to get a message to your mommy," he told her. "That's all." 


	40. Chapter 40

A Place In the Sun

40

"Where are we going?" Katalin asked after Ray had started the car and drove off.

"Back to the cabin," he said, looking at her in the rear view mirror.

"When's Mommy coming?"

"I told you; I just sent a note out to your Mom. She'll come soon enough."

………. 

When Julia and Tyler got back to his apartment, she came in, sat down on the couch, and turned the television on.

"Do you want something for lunch?" he asked, putting down their bags.

"Yeah, in just a minute," she said, turning up the TV. "Hey, Tyler, come here."

"What?"

She pointed at the TV, which was playing the local news report, "They just said Ryan and Gillian's little girl, she was kidnapped last night from Wildwind."

They listened as the reporter went on, "Police suspect 34-year old Raymond James Conley, Jr., a former boyfriend of Princess Andrassy," a picture of Ray was shown. "Conley was last seen on November 27 when he assaulted Miss Andrassy in her home. If you have any information regarding the whereabouts of Ray Conley and Katalin Lavery, please contact the police at once."

"Oh, I feel so bad for them," Julia said, shutting off the TV. "Last night, they were all so happy, together."

Tyler still stared at the television, in shock.

"Tyler?" Julia asked, taking his hand. "Ty?"

"I—I'll be back in a little while," he said, brushing her away. 

He grabbed his coat and his keys before she could say a word.

………. 

"Is Gillian resting?" Maria asked as Ryan joined her and Edmund downstairs at Wildwind.

"She finally fell asleep, at least," Ryan told her, crossing the room to the phone. 

"Who are you calling?" Edmund asked him.

"I'm just calling the apartment to check the voice mail," he told him, putting in his pass code. 

Edmund and Maria watched him as he furrowed his eyebrows and then quickly put the phone down.

"Who was it?" Maria asked.

"Tracy…" he said, trailing off.

"Tracy?" Maria wondered, as Ryan quickly walked past them and out the door.

"Ryan's ex, you've probably met her before, she works at SOS," Edmund offered as an explanation.

"What could be so important with her that he would leave?"

"I don't know…they were together for about two years, but when Gillian came back to town, Tracy didn't have a chance."

……….

Bobby was relieved that Kelsey was not in her car. Within a few minutes, he had reached the Martin house and knocked on the door.

Bobby knocked again before Kelsey opened the door. She had a heavy blanket pulled tight around her shoulders, her face was pale, and her hair was stringy and tangled.

"Kelsey, are you alright?" he asked as he entered and she closed the door behind him.

Before she could answer, he said, "It's as cold in here as it is outside."

"The heater is frozen," she said, shivering as she sat down on the couch.

"Where is everyone?"

"My grandparents are stuck at the hospital."

"Why didn't you build a fire?" he asked, opening up the wood box.

"It's empty," she informed him. "And after walking from where my car got stuck to here last night and trying to clear the snow off the heater, I was too cold…." She pulled her knees up to her chest and clutched the blanket closer. Bobby found another blanket and wrapped it around her.

"I'll go get some wood from outside; I'll be right back," he promised her.

It only took a few minutes before he returned and quickly started a fire. He found an old quilt and laid it down in front of the hearth. Bobby took her hand and helped her down to the floor. He took off his coat and then pulled Kelsey's shivering, tense body close to his, wrapping the blankets around them. 

Slowly she began to relax and her breathing became regular. Just when he thought she had fallen asleep, she turned her head and looked into his eyes and told him, "Thank you."

………. 

Tyler pushed open the door to SOS and walked straight to the bar. He ordered a shot and downed it.

Mateo gave him a questioning look.

"Just trying to clear my head," he said and ordered something a little less potent.

"Santos women?" Mateo asked.

"It's not your sister's fault."

"Not even a little bit?"

"No, this one's all me," Tyler said, finishing his drink.

The door opened quickly and Tyler and Mateo turned.

"Is Tracy here?" Ryan asked as he practically ran towards the bar.

"She should be here soon, probably got delayed trying to get through this snow," Mateo told him.

"Okay if I wait?" Ryan asked.

"Do whatever you want," Mateo told him. "Any word on Katalin yet?"

"Nothing," Ryan said. "I had a call from Tracy, though, she might know something."

"I sure hope you find her soon," Mateo said. "I'll be in the back if you two need anything."

After Mateo had left, Tyler turned to Ryan. "How're you holding up?"

"Trying to keep it together for Gillian; she told me last night that she's pregnant. We're going to have another child. Perfect irony, huh? We're at home celebrating the new baby while our daughter is getting snatched by that lunatic."

Tyler didn't say anything in response.

"So, how are things with you and Julia? Looked pretty good last night," Ryan said, trying to pass the time till Tracy got there.

"I'm trying—trying to figure out how to tell her I can't be with her," Tyler said quietly. 

"What? Man, are you crazy?"

"It's for her own good. I know I'll just end up hurting her," he shrugged.

"How can you know that? I mean, I don't know you that well, but you seem like one of the good guys."

"My older brother, I thought he was one of the good guys. Got mixed up in some stuff he shouldn't have a while back, but then he got his life back on track. Then he lost a job and we got in an argument over the phone and I haven't heard from him since. I came here to Pine Valley looking for him; we used to live not too far from here."

"Any luck?"

"Not till today. I found out what he's become. We always promised we wouldn't be like our father. I even went so far as to take our mom's family name. But it's how we grew up; it's all we know. He's just like him, if not worse," Tyler said, looking down in disgust. "I can't stay with Julia. Sooner or later, I'll just end up hurting her." 

"You might," Ryan told him. "You might end up hurting her; I might end up hurting Gillian. Do you love Julia?"

"Yes," Tyler said, trying to figure out exactly where Ryan was going.

"Then you'll do everything in your power to make her happy. Just don't do anything stupid."

"Like?"

"Like what you're talking about doing now? Take it from someone who's been there, done that. Gillian and I married for all the wrong reasons, but we fell in love. Then my brother Braden came to town and he raped the D.A.'s sister. Here was my big brother who I had looked up to for so many years and who had protected me from our father, and Braden had turned out no better. I was scared that I was going to become just like him, too, and I pushed Gillian away. Sound familiar?"

"Somewhat," Tyler said, smiling slightly.

"I pushed her away and she filed for divorce. Apparently she got pregnant with Katalin before our divorce was final, and then she left town. She left because I pushed her away, and I missed four years of my daughter's life. Now I've known her for a week…" Ryan pushed his hands into his eyes, trying not to let any tears out.

"I'm sorry, man," Tyler told him.

"Just don't let it happen to you and Julia. Go home and just hold her and tell her how much you love her and don't ever let her go. Don't make the mistake I did."

"Thanks, I won't," he said, standing up. "I hope that girl Tracy can help you find your kid."

Tyler crossed the room to leave. As he put his hand on the door to open it, he turned back around.

"I'm really sorry for what my brother's done to your family," Tyler said. He turned and went through the doors before Ryan could say a word. 


	41. Chapter 41

A Place In the Sun

41

Ryan watched as Tyler left the bar. "He's sorry for what his brother has done…" 

It took a few moments for Ryan to realize what Tyler had meant; before he could go after him, Tracy came over the bar.

"Ryan," she said softly as she finished tying on her apron. "Mateo said you were looking for me."

"You left me a message."

"I'm sorry," she said, sounding ashamed. She stood behind the bar, keeping the counter between them.

"What did you mean by the message?" he asked her, not sure why she was apologizing. 

She took a deep breath, "I tried to warn you…" She put down the towel that was in her hands.

"Tried to warn me of what?" Ryan asked, interrupting her. "What did you know?"

"I knew he was going to do something," Tracy told him. "I didn't know what, Ryan, but I wanted to try and tell you before he could, but—"

"How do you even know Ray?" he asked, angrily.

She walked around the bar over to him. "I know I shouldn't have, Ryan," she said, beginning to speak quickly. "But when he first approached me it was right after Gillian came and he said that he would help me get you back. It was so stupid. I should have known he was trouble."

"Tracy, tell me, what did you do?" Ryan asked, his jaw clenched and his eyes narrowing.

Tracy was inclined to back away, but instead stood her ground. "He just wanted some information. But what I didn't know was how he would use it and before I knew it, he was out of control. He wanted me to help keep tabs on you two. He would ask me where you were going to be on certain days, so he could get Gillian alone."

"So he could get Gillian alone…" Ryan said, seething.

"I didn't know what he was going to do, and I don't know what he did any of the times before last week. I got really scared after that and I wasn't going to tell him anything else but he threatened me."

"You let him know she was alone the night of the party here?"

"Yes," she replied meekly.

"And last night?"

"I told him you all had gone to Wildwind. I didn't want to tell him, I swear I didn't," she said, her eyes wide and brimming.

………. 

The doorbell rang at Wildwind; Maria jumped up to answer it. 

"Package for Mr. Edmund Grey," the man on the other side said as she opened the door.

"I'll take it," she said, taking the square box from him.

"Sign here," he told her. She took the pen and wrote her name. She thanked the deliveryman and closed the door. As she walked back into the living room, Edmund walked in the other direction from the kitchen.

"What is it?" he asked, seeing the box in her hand.

"Whitecrest Jewelers," she read from the label. She raised an eyebrow at the name of the store.

He laughed at her expression. "Probably not what you're thinking."

"For some other woman in your life?" she teased.

"Not that either," he said, taking the box from her and opening it. "I guess there's really no need for this now."

"What did your order?" she asked him, still curious.

Edmund took out a crystal ornament and handed it to his wife.

"7th Annual Crystal Ball, benefiting the Maria Santos Grey Foundation, December 31, 2003," Maria read. "Crystal Ball?"

"After you—we thought you died, I set up a charity foundation in your name, and every year we had the Crystal Ball to encourage donations. Each year I gave some sort of memento to all the guests; this is the one I had made for this year. But I guess a memorial fund isn't really appropriate now that we know you are alive."

"So you're just going to discontinue the foundation?" she asked.

"I hadn't really thought about it."

"I'm honored that you would do such a thing in my name. But just because I am here doesn't mean you should get rid of it," Maria said, setting the ornament back into its box. "We should still have the ball."

………. 

"Do you realize that that monster has my daughter right now, and it's partly your fault?" Ryan nearly yelled.

"Yes, Ryan, I realize that," she said, tears streaming down her face. "Why do you think I tried to warn you? Ray threatened that he'd implicate me as an accessory to what he did last week. That's why I told him, but after I hung up I realized it didn't matter if I got in trouble. What he was about to do…he needed to be stopped. Ryan, I tried, you have to believe me." Tracy put her hand on his arm. 

Ryan turned his arm so that her hand landed the bar. Why didn't you call Wildwind? If you knew we had been there, then why did you call the apartment?" he asked, a little calmer now.

"I don't know, I honestly don't know. I wasn't thinking straight. I was mad at myself for telling Ray what I had and terrified of what he might do.

He took a deep breath and shook his head in resignation. "I believe you. I just want to find my daughter; I don't have the energy right now to be mad at you."

"I got in over my head, I know that. I just wanted you back, Ryan. We were together for two years; we lived together. All my family thought I'd finally found 'the one,' and I guess I kind of did, too," she said, wiping her tears away. "But I guess all along, I knew that I'd never replace Gillian, you always loved her. Then she came back, and I wasn't ready to let go. I didn't want anyone to get hurt like this, though."

………. 

When Bobby woke up, he found that he was lying down on the quilt in front of the fire. Kelsey was in front of him and his arm was draped over her.

Kelsey rolled over to face him and nuzzled her head up under his chin. He pulled her closer to him and enjoyed the warmth of her body against his. She closed her eyes again momentarily as she raised her head to kiss him.

"It is real," she said softly.

"I told you," he replied, rubbing her back.

"I should have believed you."

"Why didn't you?" he asked, sitting up and placing another log onto the fire.

She shook her head, "Stupid reasons."

"You don't go into hiding for stupid reasons."

"You know the reasons. I messed everything up so badly before and all. You didn't love me then, and I guess I didn't really love you either. I don't want that to happen again," she told him.

"No, there's something else. What aren't you telling me, Kelsey?" Bobby asked her. "You've been acting really weird. I've never known you to hide from your problems."

"Bobby, that's it. I told you, stupid reasons."

"Kels…"

"Bobby, it's in the past; it doesn't matter."

"Obviously it does," he said, putting a hand on hers. 

"Everything that happened in California can stay there," she said, pulling away.

"Kelsey, what happened?" Bobby asked, looking her straight in the eyes.

Kelsey closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "Simple, I fell in love."

………. 

Ryan didn't respond, but looked deep in thought. "Ryan?" Tracy asked, trying to get his attention. 

"Yeah, uh, sorry, I was just thinking all this over. So do you know anything that could help us find Katalin?" Ryan asked.

"I wish I did," she said, somewhat confused. Ryan didn't seem to have even registered what she had just said about their relationship.

"Nothing?"

Tracy thought for a moment. "I don't know how much this will help," she said, taking a seat in the chair next to him. "I followed him once."

"Where did he go?"

"First he went to the Pine Cone. He went into a room for a few minutes, then came back out and got in his car again. He drove an old black Honda; the paint was peeling off in some places and there was some rust on the bottom. I followed him again for a while. He went through Centreville, but then went off on a back road. After that I turned around because I figured if he saw me he would realize someone was following him."

"Probably a good move."

"I don't feel safe from him, Ryan."

"You need to tell the police what you know."

"I don't want to go to jail; I know what I did was wrong…" 

"If you come forward now, they'll be more likely to go easy on you. Can you get someone to cover you here?"

"No customers, Mateo won't mind."

"Good, then you're going down to the police station now, then you are taking me to where you followed him."

"Of course. I want to help you find your daughter."

………. 

Maria and Edmund turned to face the door as they heard it open.

"Dimitri," Maria said as they stood up. "You finally got here."

"I got held up in New York; the trains shut down during the worst of the snow," he explained. "How is Gillian?"

"She's upstairs resting," Edmund told him.

"Ryan hasn't left her side, has he?" Dimitri asked.

"Actually," Maria said, "he flew out of here a couple of hours ago; he checked his messages and there was one from Tracy, apparently, and he took off."

"I'm going to go up and check on her, then," he said, turning to go out towards the stairs. "I brought your mail in and left it on the table in the hall."

Maria followed him into the hall and picked up the mail. There was a folded sheet of paper, not in an envelope, that caught her eye. She picked this up, opened it, and quickly read it over.

"Edmund," she called, her eyes growing wide.

"What, Maria, what is it?" he asked, coming to her side.

"It's from Ray." 


	42. Chapter 42

A Place In the Sun

42

Kelsey slowly pulled away from Bobby and put another log on the fire.

"What happened?" he asked, rising to his knees.

Kelsey sighed and sat back down. Bobby rejoined her on the floor in front of the fire.

"His name was Seth," she started; hesitantly she added, "Bobby, you don't want to hear all this. It's in the past."

"Yes, I want you to tell me; I want you to trust me. And obviously its not completely in the past because it's keeping us apart now," he told her, looking directly into her eyes.

She broke his gaze and then sighed as she began again, "His name was Seth and I met him while I was in grad school. About a year after we met we were spending a lot of time together working on a big project. I could feel we were growing closer; we'd always have these long conversations at a coffeehouse we'd stop at late at night on our way to our apartments. We fit so naturally together. I felt like I'd known him all my life. Then one night he kissed me. I had spilt my coffee and he was helping me clean it up and as we went to sit back up, our lips met. Before I knew it, I was head over heels in love with him. And I was sure that he felt the same way. We would talk about marriage and I thought he was going to propose to me," she paused for a moment. "But now that I think back to it, he never told me he loved me," Kelsey said, pulling her blanket higher up around her neck. Bobby moved closer to her as she continued. "Then one day I saw him in the campus center with another girl. One of my classmates was with me and she told me it was his fiancée. I didn't want to believe her at first but she was right. They'd been engaged for a year and a half, longer than I had even known Seth. He had lied to me for months telling me I was the only one for him while the whole time he had been planning to marry his high school sweetheart." Kelsey hiccupped as she tried to hold back her tears.

Bobby pulled Kelsey into his arms and gave her a gentle kiss on her lips and then lower on her neck. "I promise, I am not lying. There is no one else. You asked and I told you: this is real," he said, running his fingers through her hair.

"I know, I know," she said. "I do trust you, Bobby."

"Thank you," he told her. "Now I understand why you were pushing me away.

………. 

Gillian came downstairs into the living room and saw Maria holding the piece of paper that had been in the mail.

"What is that?" Gillian asked, sensing that it was something important.

"It's from Ray," Edmund answered uneasily as Maria read the note.

"What does it say?" Gillian turned to Maria.

"Money. He wants five million dollars," she reported. "Maybe I was wrong."

"No," Gillian said. "He originally followed me here for money. I told him I did not have any, which is the truth." Gillian sat down on the couch and took a deep breath, trying not to get upset again.

"Don't worry about the money," Edmund reassured her. "Dimitri and I started on putting together a large sum as soon as I spoke to him. We wanted to be prepared for this if it this came."

"Thank you," she said as Maria handed her a glass of water. "What else does the letter say?" 

"It says that this is 'part one' of getting your daughter back," Maria said as she read the end of the letter. "I guess part two isn't that hard to figure out."

Gillian looked at Edmund and Maria with fear in her eyes.

……….

A cab dropped Tyler off in front of his apartment and he saw a light burning inside: Julia was still there. He opened the door and that she was asleep on the couch. Tyler went into the kitchen and poured a cup of lukewarm coffee from the pot Julia had apparently started earlier. He sat down at the table with his mug in front of him and closed his eyes as he took a deep breath.

"I waited for you to come back," Julia said, looking at him over the back of the couch.

Tyler did not answer her. Instead, he took a drink of his coffee.

"Why'd you run out of here like that?" she asked. Still silence. Raising her voice and standing up, she asked, "Will you at least tell me where you went?"

Finally, Tyler made eye contact with Julia.

"I was at SOS. Ryan was there. He really helped me figure something out."

"What?" she asked, joining him at the table.

"Well, I found out where my brother has been all these months."

"Where?" she asked, looking puzzled.

"My brother, R.J., is better known as Ray Conley around here. He has been right here in Pine Valley the whole time."

……….

"Which way?" Ryan asked Tracy as they drove from town after going to the police station.

"Take a left at this next street," she told him.

They rode for a while in silence. Ryan focused his eyes on the road ahead him, hoping desperately that Tracy could lead him to where Ray was keeping Katalin.

"You did the right thing, Tracy," he reassured her. 

"Take a left," she said.

"I mean it, Trace."

"It's my fault that he was able to get to her, Ryan," she said. "Please don't try to make it seem like this isn't all on my head. I led Ray right to your daughter."

"Yeah, maybe you did. Or maybe he would've done this even if he didn't have any help. Either way, what's done is done and now what we have to do is get out here and try to find Ray and Kata and get her back safely. But stop beating yourself up."

"We're going to find your daughter," Tracy told him.

"I know," he said firmly.

"But Ryan," she hesitated. "This is where I stopped following him. I don't know where to go now." 


	43. Chapter 43

A Place In the Sun

43

"So this is it for now?" Tracy asked, breaking the silence between her and Ryan. They had sat for a few minutes after she told him she couldn't lead him any closer to Ray and she was beginning to get restless.

"Guess so," he replied flatly, turning around to head back to Pine Valley.

"I'm sorry," she told him.

"It's okay," he said with little emotion in his voice, not convincing Tracy that he was not disappointed.

"No, it's just," she paused. "I really wanted to do something right for once but what I know about where Ray might have taken Katalin is just not enough to find your daughter." Tracy took a deep breath, trying to keep herself from crying.

Ryan did not respond. His cell phone rang and he quickly answered it.

"Hello?"

"Ryan," Gillian said, her voice breaking.

"Gillian," he said, relieved to hear her voice, but knowing that something had happened. "Did you hear from Ray?"

"Yes—"

"Just a sec," he said, turning to Tracy. "Write down these street names." He handed her a pen and a napkin from the glove compartment so she could write down the directions to where she had followed Ray.

"Who is with you?" Gillian asked.

"Tracy…I'll tell you about it later. So what happened?"

"Ray sent a note to Wildwind earlier."

"Does he want you to—"

"No. Not yet at least," she said, sounding somewhat relieved.

"So what did he have to say?"

"He gave us instructions to drop off money."

"Ransom?"

"Yes," she said, her voice cracking again. "But the note also said that this isn't all. He will send us more instructions after he gets the money."

"How much?" he asked, almost afraid to hear the amount. 

"Five million."

Ryan's eyes grew big at this. "Five million dollars?"

"Don't worry; Edmund and Dimitri said they will cover it."

"Thank goodness," he said. "When will the drop off happen?"

"Tomorrow night," Gillian said with a sigh.

"I wish it were sooner," Ryan said, disappointed.

"So do I," she echoed his sentiment. "When will you be back here?"

"I'm on my way now."

"Good. I love you, Ryan."

"I love you, too."

………. 

"Ray Conley," Julia repeated to herself. Then to Tyler, she asked, "As in the man who kidnapped Ryan and Gillian's daughter?"

"None other," he answered dejectedly.

"You really had me worried by the way you ran out of here earlier," she said.

"I'm sorry about that," Tyler told Julia as she sat down next to him.

"No, that was an awful way to find out about your brother," she reassured him.

"I just didn't think it could have gotten that bad," he said, his shoulders hanging low. "I know I hadn't heard from him in a long while, but I figured, if anything, he was drinking a little too much, getting in peoples' faces and causing some trouble. I never imagined him putting his ex-girlfriend in the hospital one week and then kidnapping her daughter the next. He always said we weren't going to be abusive like our parents were." Tyler closed his eyes and hung his head, his elbows on the table and his hands pressed against his forehead. Julia used one hand to rub his back as she told him, "I think I see where you are going with this. Now look at me." She gently lifted his chin and he opened his eyes to look directly into hers. "You are not your parents. You are not your brother. You are Tyler Barrows and I love you. I don't know your family but I know you and I know you are the most caring, patient, gentle, loving man I know." She took one of his hands in hers and held it to her heart. She placed her free hand on his chest as she continued. "Who you are is in here. When we get married, I am marrying you, Tyler. It'll be just you and me."

"You and me," he repeated. After a few moments, he said, "You and Ryan are right. I'm me and it's my choice to be whatever I want. And you know what that is?" He stood as he asked this question. 

Julia looked puzzled, "A famous singer with a song at the top of the charts?"

He shook his head, "No. Bigger."

"What?" she asked, standing up with him.

"The man in love," Tyler said, pulling her body up against his, "with you."

……….

Katalin watched and waited as Ray fell asleep on the couch. She waited several minutes after she was positive he was asleep before she stood up and walked across the room. Slowly, she turned the doorknob. She had the door open and was about to step across the threshold when she heard a voice behind her.

……….

"The snow has melted a lot," Bobby observed as he watched the sun set through the white glistening trees.

"My grandparents should be home soon," Kelsey told him.

"Trying to kick me out?" he asked with a smirk.

"No," she laughed. "But if you want to go, you should while you still have some light."

"I'm not leaving you here alone," he assured her, pulling her close to him so that she, too, could see the beautiful sunset. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders as she nuzzled her head up against his neck.

"You know I'll be okay, Bobby."

"Kelsey, listen to me," he said, turning her around. "The power is still out here; I'm going to make sure the fire keeps going to keep this room warm. Plus, I want to make sure your grandparents check you out after what happened last night."

"I know how to keep the fire going, and I feel fine," Kelsey replied emphatically.

"And we will make sure of that," he smiled. "Remember, doctors really do make the worst patients."

"And lawyers make the worst people to have an argument with," she smiled.

"Look, there they are," Bobby said as headlights turned into the driveway. At that moment, several lights came on in the house as the power was finally restored. Out of view from the window, Bobby pulled Kelsey into a passionate kiss. Kelsey sighed with pleasure as she felt herself melting into Bobby's embrace.

………. 

Ryan quickly dropped Tracy off at her parents' house and made his way to Wildwind. Gillian was waiting at the door for him when he arrived, her eyes red and raw. When he got to the door, he rested his hands on Gillian's waist and gently kissed her lips. She then laid her head on his chest as he held her tight.

"I want to see the letter from Ray," Ryan said as they pulled away.

"It's right here," she told him, leading him inside. Gillian handed him the piece of paper and then twisted her rings nervously as she waited for him to read it.

"Where are Edmund and Dimitri now?" he asked once he was finished.

"They are in Edmund's office working on getting the money together," she replied.

"I hate that we have to wait till tomorrow; this waiting is killing me," he said, a pained expression on his face. "We've got to wait to give him the money and then wait again to hear anything after that."

"I know, Ryan, I know," she said. "Don't you think of anyone that I know how much you feel like your heart is breaking in two right now?"

"If only I wouldn't have been such a jerk, you would have told me about her sooner and things could have been different. And Tracy being involved in this is my fault, too."

"What does Tracy have to do with this?" Gillian asked, confused. 

"She's been Ray's little informant all along. It seems at the beginning, they teamed up to keep us apart so Ray could have you and Tracy could be with me. But then Ray ended up using her for information, like that night at Myrtle's, he knew you were alone because Tracy told him I was at SOS. Ray threatened her and Tracy was terrified of him after what he did to you. That's why last night Tracy told Ray that Kata was at Wildwind. She tried to warn us but we didn't answer the phone."

Gillian shook her head in disbelief. "But Ryan, what Tracy did is not your fault. I should have trusted you more and told you about our daughter when I first came back."

"Gillian, don't blame yourself," Ryan told her.

"Isn't that what you're doing?" she asked pointedly.

"If either of us are to blame, it is me," he said.

"That is not true," she said, starting to walk away.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"I just need some time a lone," Gillian said, walking upstairs . Ryan did not follow her. Gillian sat down by a window and watched as the last crimson bands of the sunset disappeared. She pulled her legs up to her chest and buried her face into her knees as she cried. 


	44. Chapter 44

A Place In the Sun

44

Gillian woke up in her room that morning at Wildwind lying snuggled next to Ryan's warm body. She didn't remember how she had gotten there. The last thing she remembered of the night before was sitting alone watching the sun set as she cried. Gillian reached up and stroked Ryan's face, trying to wake him. After a few seconds, his eyes fluttered open.

"Good morning," he said, smiling as he saw her face.

"Last night…"

"You fell asleep on the bench; I carried you in here. I figured you didn't want to spend the whole night sleeping there."

She nodded in agreement. "Last night we were acting really stupid."

"I only told you the truth," he said, looking away.

"Ryan…"

"What?" he almost snapped.

"Why are you being like that?" she asked.

He didn't reply, but instead pulled on some clothes and walked past her and out in the hall towards the stairway. She grabbed a robe and quickly pushed her feet into a pair of slippers and followed him down to the kitchen.

"Good morning," Edmund greeted as the couple made their way into the room.

Maria looked at the two of them and knew something was up. She raised her eyebrows at Gillian when they made eye contact.

"What?" Gillian shrugged, looking at Edmund and Maria. "Ryan is being a pig-headed stubborn jerk, that is all." She haughtily took a bite of her breakfast as it was set down in front of her. 

Maria looked at Ryan. "We had a disagreement, that's it," he said.

"Ryan blames himself for Kata's kidnapping," Gillian filled Edmund and Maria in.

"What?" Maria asked.

"Hey, last night, Gillian was saying it was her fault," Ryan told her.

"Ryan, Gillian, this is ridiculous. This is Ray's fault, not yours," Edmund said.

"It's natural that you'd want to blame yourself or even each other," Maria told them. "But at the same time, you have to know that the one at fault is Ray. You two need to work together and help each other through this. You are only going to make it worse if you push each other away. Edmund and I definitely learned that a long time ago."

"I tried to tell him that this morning, but he did not want to budge," Gillian said.

"Ryan," Maria prodded him to say something. Instead, he put down his spoon and left the room without a word.

………. 

When Katalin woke up that morning, she cautiously looked around her. She shuddered as she pulled her knees up to her chest, trying to keep warm, as she remembered what had happened.

Ray had fallen asleep and Kata thought that maybe this was her chance to get away. She knew there were houses not that far away and maybe someone there would be able to help her.

Kata made it only to the door and opened it when he called out her name. Her heart sank with dread and fear as she froze in her tracks. Then, on impulse, she started to run outside. Within a few yards, he caught up with her. He yanked her by the arm and slapped her leg hard. Ray half-drug the young girl back into the cabin as she squirmed, trying to get loose. He brought her inside, took her into one of the bedrooms, and opened up a closet door. He was still holding tight to her arm and he swung her into the closet and slammed the door behind her. The force of being thrown into the small closet dazed her for a few moments. She heard Ray push something up against the door and when she tried to open the door, it would not budge. She yelled at him to let her out, but he did not reply. Finally she gave up and flung herself upon the floor and cried herself to sleep.

Now awake, she looked around her small prison. It was hardly wide enough for her to lie down in. There was a rough blanket folded in one corner and some clothes hanging on the bar above her head.

"Are you awake?" she heard Ray ask from the other side of the closet door.

"Yes," Kata replied quietly. She heard something being pushed aside and she asked, hopefully, "Are you going to let me out?" 

Ray laughed at this. "Don't expect to get out of there anytime soon. Not after what you pulled last night. Now, I'm going to open the door, but don't you even try to come out."

Katalin huddled still in the corner as Ray opened the door and put a plate with toast and a glass of juice on the floor. Then he closed the door and once again pushed a heavy object against it. "Now, go ahead and eat. And if you need to use the bathroom, just yell for me. I don't want you making a mess of yourself and stinking up the place."

As Kata heard him turn and walk from the room, tears rolled down her cheeks. She gingerly picked up the toast and began to eat it. 

"Mommy and Daddy will find me soon," she told herself.

………. 

"Three o'clock this afternoon, right?" Gillian asked Edmund.

He nodded, "The money is ready."

"I want to go with you," she told him.

"No, stay back here at Wildwind. You don't need to be in the middle of that," Maria told her.

"But I am in the middle of this!" she replied emphatically.

"Maria's right, let Dimitri and I handle this," Edmund told her.

"You are pregnant and you were told to take it easy and so far I don't see you doing that," Maria said.

"How am I supposed to just sit here and do nothing while my daughter is out there somewhere with Ray?" she asked.

Maria sat down next to Gillian and tried to comfort her. "Honestly, we can't answer that. But, Gillian, it won't do you or Katalin or the baby any good to go with Edmund this afternoon."

Gillian looked to the floor, knowing they were right.

"Now, why don't you go on upstairs and take a shower," Maria suggested.

"I'll go find Ryan and try to talk some sense into him," Edmund told her.

"Thank you, Edmund, for everything." 


	45. Chapter 45

A Place In the Sun

45

Gillian slowly climbed the stairs and went into her bathroom. She turned the water on steaming hot and poured in some lavender bath oil. As the water ran, she brushed her hair and piled it up on top of her head in a clip. She stepped out of her slippers and let her robe fall to the floor as she undressed. Gillian hesitantly put a foot in the water and then sat down, submersing her body. 

She laid her head back against the tub. She wished that the soothing water could just take away all the pain that she felt. Without her daughter here, the worry left an immense emptiness in her stomach. And with Ryan acting as he was, she felt she had no one to turn to who really knew what she was feeling. She hoped Edmund would be able to talk some sense into him. Ryan always pushed people away when things got bad. He always felt he needed to take the blame. "Why does he do that?" Gillian closed her eyes as tears streamed down her face.

……….

"Kelsey, line 2," Jake said to her that afternoon at the hospital.

Kelsey picked up the phone and punched the button, "This is Dr. Kelsey Jefferson speaking."

"You sound so professional."

"Bobby," she smiled.

"I called your grandparents' house and Ruth told me you were at work," he said. "What are you doing there?"

"Um, working; you know, saving lives and all, it's what I do," Kelsey laughed, knowing what he was about to say. 

"Shouldn't you be at home resting? I thought you were going to take it easy?"

"Bobby, everyone said I was okay. I feel fine; you did a good job taking care of me yesterday."

"So, can I treat you to dinner tonight?" he asked, figuring he shouldn't push it any more.

"I'd love to, but there's just no way. We're understaffed here and there's no way I can get out of here until morning."

"Don't tire yourself out," Bobby warned.

"I won't," she smiled at how over protective he was being. "Why don't we meet at BJ's for breakfast?"

"That would be great."

"9:00?"

"Works for me."

"I've got to get back to work," Kelsey said. "I'll see you then!"

……….

Edmund found Ryan in the library. Ryan's arms were folded on the table and he had his head resting on them. Edmund crossed the room without a word and took a seat in the chair directly across from him. He put his elbows on the table and waited for Ryan to acknowledge his presence.

"Just go away," Ryan mumbled, not raising his head. Edmund could see that Ryan's sleeve was wet from wiping his eyes.

"Sorry, I promised Gillian I'd talk to you," he said.

"I just want to be left alone," Ryan told him.

"Can't do that. You see, I just got together five million dollars to help get your daughter back, so I think you owe it to me to at least listen," Edmund said, standing up.

"Talk," Ryan said, raising his head and slumping back in his chair.

"You would think that a person would learn from his mistakes," Edmund began, "but sometimes we just keep making the same ones over and over again. Back when you and Gillian were married, you never thought you were good enough for her. You loved her so much and she was completely in love with you, yet you pushed her away until she filed for divorce because she thought that was what you wanted—"

"It is what I wanted," Ryan interjected, still not making eye contact.

"She got a divorce and left town. She was pregnant with your child, Ryan. Is that what you wanted? The two of you could have been so happy together raising Katalin; instead, she was living with Ray. Then she decides to come back to Pine Valley. She wanted so badly to tell you about Katalin but she didn't know how you'd react. Gillian had always seen through that front you put up. She knew that what you said and what you felt were two different things," Edmund said, sitting back down. "That's why she didn't know what you'd do when she told you that you had a four-year-old daughter. That's why she didn't tell you."

"I know that. I apologized for that," he said. "I love my daughter."

"Then why are you acting like this now? Gillian needs you now more than ever; you need to take care of her. I bet you need her, too. She doesn't need you to be going around blaming yourself; you are pushing her away. This is not your fault. I know Gillian has told you that and I'm telling you again," Edmund leaned forward in his chair. "We will get Katalin back."

It was a few moments before Ryan spoke. "What if we don't?" he said, finally raising his eyes to meet Edmund's.

Edmund sat down next to him as Ryan continued.

"What if the past week is all I ever get with my daughter?" Ryan said, all too quietly.

"What are you going to do to make sure that doesn't happen?" Edmund countered in an equally serious tone.

Ryan looked back down at his hands as he took a deep breath. Then, without saying a word to Edmund, he stood up from the table and rushed out of the room.

Edmund sighed and shook his head as Dimitri entered the room.

"I've got the money," he said, patting the briefcase hanging from his shoulder. "It's time to go."

……….

Ryan slowly opened the door to Gillian's bedroom. He saw her curled up underneath the covers, clutching the blankets to her chin.

He crossed the room and lay down in the bed and curled his body against hers, slipping his arm around her body. He rested his head on her shoulder and then softly kissed her neck, just below her ear.

Quietly, he whispered, "I'm sorry."

……….

The dinner rush at SOS had just begun when the phone rang. Tracy quickly picked it up on her way back to the kitchen.

"SOS, how can I help you?" she asked, somewhat out of breath.

Tracy could hear heavy breathing on the other end.

"Hello?" she asked impatiently. Then she realized who it was.

"Don't ever call me here again," she said, her eyes narrowing.

"You won't hang up," he finally spoke.

"Ray, I don't want anything to do with you or what you are doing to Ryan's family."

"Way too late," Ray said with a laugh. "I have a message for you to deliver."

"I'm not doing any more of your dirty work," Tracy insisted.

Ray laughed again, "You really don't have a choice. Just give Gillian this message."

Tracy's hand holding the phone trembled, but she did not protest again. 

"Tell them that I got the money this afternoon. There's a lot I can do with five million dollars," Ray gloated. "Next, tell Gillian that in two days she is to be at the corner of 7th Street and Federal Avenue downtown at 11:15 in the morning. A black car is going to pick her up there at 11:20. Gillian will recognize the car. She is not to be followed. She is to bring only a small suitcase with some clothes for her and the child. She shouldn't expect to ever return to Pine Valley. Tell her it's the only way she's ever going to see her child again."

Ray's last sentence echoed in Tracy's mind. His tone of voice sounded so cold and calculated. 

Tracy could hear Ray clear his throat.

"I'll do it," she said quietly, regretting the words the moment they left her mouth. 


	46. Chapter 46

A Place In the Sun

46

Julia awoke to hear Tyler rustling through a box on the floor. 

"Ty?" she mumbled sleepily, rolling over to face him. 

"Just go back to sleep, Jule," he told her. 

"What are you looking at?" she asked, propping herself up on her elbows. 

"Just some old things of my mother's," he said, flipping through pictures quickly. 

"Any reason for doing that at 8:30 on a Saturday morning when neither of us has to be at work?" she asked as she gave a glance at the clock. 

"There's got to be something I can do." He flipped through some more pictures. 

Julia scooted across be bed so that her chin rested on Tyler's shoulder. "Your brother?" 

"Here, look at this," he said, holding up a picture of two young boys on a short dock, each holding up a fish. "Look how happy he was." He shrugged and added, "Things change." 

"You really looked up to him," Julia said, looking at the pictures. "How he's changed, that can't take away your memories." 

Tyler let the photos fall back into the box as he leaned his head back against Julia. "There's got to be something I can do to help fix what he's done." 

Julia rolled herself out of bed and pulled on a pair of jeans. "Any ideas?" she asked as she reached for an old sweatshirt. 

Tyler shook his head, "I mean, we did grow up sort of in this area. We lived on the other side of the city. The old house we lived in was bulldozed years ago to put up a new shopping center; not many of his old haunts still exist over there. But R.J.'s obviously hiding out somewhere in the area." 

"You know what? You need some thinking food," Julia said, grabbing her keys. "I'm going to go get us some donuts and some good coffee, the kind with that hazelnut cream in it that you like." 

"Sounds great," he smiled as she leaned in for a kiss. 

"This will work out," she assured him before turning toward the door. 

...

Bobby was waiting at BJ's when Kelsey walked through the door. He quickly got her attention and she hurried over the table. Bobby stood up to greet her and gave her a kiss on the cheek as he helped her out of her coat. He pulled a chair out for her and they both sat down. 

"How was your shift?" he asked. 

"Long," she said, sounding tired. 

"When do you have to be back to the hospital?" 

"Not until tomorrow morning," Kelsey said, looking relieved. 

A waitress came over then to take their orders. They quickly ordered and she walked away. 

"You know, I was thinking last night. How are we going to explain this to Sam?" Kelsey asked. 

Bobby raised his eyebrows. 

"You know, us," she clarified. 

"No, I know what you mean," he said. "I guess I just hadn't thought that far." 

"I mean, I don't know even how much he knows about the whole situation," she said, shaking her head. 

"Sam doesn't know the details about the time he spent living with us," Bobby told her. "He does know that he lived with us for a few months when he was a baby. Edmund has all the pictures that we took of him then. But it wouldn't help Sam to know about the legal issues." 

"Backing out of the adoption was the stupidest thing I ever did." 

"Everyone involved knows you regret doing that," Bobby said, rubbing her hand. "And they've forgiven you for it." 

"There are so many things I did that I regret. Sometimes I wonder why I even decided to move back to Pine Valley." 

"Does all that really matter now? Edmund and Maria, they forgave you a long time ago. I even got Opal to see that you've changed. Kelsey, I know that you're a different person now than you were when you were sixteen. And you know what? I think…" he stopped himself before telling her that he thought he was falling in love with her. He motioned for her to lean closer and he gently kissed her lips. "It's time you forgave yourself." 

...

"July 7, 1976, Silver Lake," Tyler read off the back of a picture of him and his brother from when they were young. The picture was from when they used to spend a few weeks each summer with their grandparents, always at the same house on the lake. 

He went over to the computer and quickly typed in "Silver Lake" and waited for the search results to come up. Tyler found a map of the houses for rent and hit the print button. Even though it had been many years since he had vacationed there with his grandparents, he remembered that their house had been the closest one to the small general store on the lake. Tyler remembered going there to buy penny candy and cans of worms for bait with his brother. He took the paper from the printer and scanned the map and soon found the little store. He grabbed a marker, circled the house, and looked back up at the computer screen. Tyler clicked on the house on the screen and it gave him the address of the house. He wrote this down on the printed map and went to a website to get directions. As soon as they were printed, he grabbed them, his coat, and his keys and was out the door. 

...

Bobby paid their bill at BJs as Kelsey protested. He helped her into her coat and they walked toward the door. 

"Are you going home?" he asked her. 

She nodded, "I need to get some sleep after working all night." 

"But you don't have to be back at the hospital until tomorrow?" he asked. 

"Not until tomorrow morning," she told him, smiling. "Do you want to come over to my apartment for a little while?" 

He accepted her invitation and took her hand as they walked out the door. 

...

Julia arrived back at the apartment within an hour of leaving. She sat the donuts and the coffee on the table as she called Tyler's name. 

"Tyler, come get this coffee before it gets cold," she said when he did not appear. 

When he still did not come into the kitchen, she walked quickly into the bedroom. There she saw the computer still showing the directions to Silver Lake and the map with the house circled sitting on the desk. She picked up the map and grabbed the phone, her hand shaking as she dialed Tyler's cell phone number. 

As soon as he answered, before he could even say a word, she demanded, "What do you think you're doing?" 

"Sorry for leaving like that," he said. 

"No, Tyler, what are you doing?" she asked again. 

"I'm going to find my brother," he said like it shouldn't bother her. 

"If you know where he is, let the police take care of it," she pleaded. "It's not safe for you to go out there." 

"Why would my brother hurt me?" 

"Tyler, he has been terrorizing Gillian for weeks and he kidnapped her daughter. Your brother is not the same person that you idolized when you were a child. You don't know what he might do," she said, tears streaming down her face. 

"I don't know what he might do. You're right. But I might be able to reason with him. If I don't call by 3:00, take that address to Ryan. Give me that long. I've got to pay attention to where I'm going, okay? Give me until 3:00," he told her. 

"Be careful," she said, reluctant to let him go ahead with his plan. "I love you." 

"I love you, too," he said, hanging up his phone. 

Julia slammed the phone down on the receiver and looked around the room. She grabbed the box of Tyler's photos and flung it against the wall. Julia sat on the edge of the bed, slid down to the floor and angrily wiped the tears from her face.

……….

The dinner rush at SOS had just begun when the phone rang. Tracy quickly picked it up on her way back to the kitchen.

"SOS, how can I help you?" she asked, somewhat out of breath.

Tracy could hear heavy breathing on the other end.

"Hello?" she asked impatiently. Then she realized who it was.

"Don't ever call me here again," she said, her eyes narrowing.

"You won't hang up," he finally spoke.

"Ray, I don't want anything to do with you or what you are doing to Ryan's family."

"Way too late," Ray said with a laugh. "I have a message for you to deliver."

"I'm not doing any more of your dirty work," Tracy insisted.

Ray laughed again, "You really don't have a choice. Just give Gillian this message."

Tracy's hand holding the phone trembled, but she did not protest again. 

"Tell them that I got the money this afternoon. There's a lot I can do with five million dollars," Ray gloated. "Next, tell Gillian that in two days she is to be at the corner of 7th Street and Federal Avenue downtown at 11:15 in the morning. A black car is going to pick her up there at 11:20. Gillian will recognize the car. She is not to be followed. She is to bring only a small suitcase with some clothes for her and the child. She shouldn't expect to ever return to Pine Valley. Tell her it's the only way she's ever going to see her child again."

Ray's last sentence echoed in Tracy's mind. His tone of voice sounded so cold and calculated. 

Tracy could hear Ray clear his throat.

"I'll do it," she said quietly, regretting the words the moment they left her mouth. 


	47. Chapter 47

A Place In the Sun

47

Within an hour of leaving the apartment, Tyler pulled up outside the house at Silver Lake. Immediately he knew this was the right place. The shades in the windows were drawn and the place would have looked deserted if it were not for the smoke curling up from the chimney. Tyler took a deep breath as he thought about the plan he had worked out on the drive there. Not wanting his brother to see him first, he got out of his truck and walked to the front door. 

Tyler knocked on the door and anxiously waited. In a few moments, the door opened and Tyler hastily said, "I'm sorry for bothering you; my grandparents used to rent this house when I was younger and I was in the area and I wanted to visit." He paused as he waited for his brother to respond. He pretended not to recognize him. 

"Tyler?" Ray asked. 

"R.J.? I didn't recognize you at first. What are you doing here?" he asked. The brothers pulled each other into an astonished hug and then took a step back. Ray looked around nervously as he led Tyler into the house. Tyler pretended not to notice as he followed. 

"I guess the same. I was looking for a place to stay and I found this place deserted, so I let myself in," he laughed stiffly. 

"As long as no one notices, then I guess no one will care," Tyler shrugged. 

Ray tried to act normal. He motioned for Tyler to sit down on the couch as he threw another log onto the fire. 

"So what have you been up to lately?" he asked, sitting down beside Tyler and leaning back against the arm of the couch. 

"I've been working on my music," Tyler said. "I've got a regular gig at this club." 

"Still doing that music mess, huh?" Ray laughed as to say that Tyler's music was foolish. 

"Yeah," Tyler said, looking down. No one in his family had ever understood his passion for music, but at least they had tolerated it. 

"Where have you been living?" Ray asked. 

"In the city," Tyler quickly lied. "I've got a place in Philly." 

Ray breathed a sigh of relief that he didn't say Pine Valley. 

"How long have you been up here?" Tyler asked, wondering how many lies his brother would tell him. 

"Not long, I only came up to the lake about a week ago. I had been staying at a cheap hotel for a while before then but didn't have the money to stay there. Maxed out my card. So I checked out of there last week and came on up here." 

In the bedroom closet, Katalin took a bite out of the bread Ray had given her that morning. Tired and hungry, she threw the plate onto the floor. 

"What was that?" Tyler asked as he and Ray heard the noise that Kata had made. 

...

  
_  
Maria stared at Erica in disbelief as Erica explained why she had not returned Maria's baby to her when she found the infant alive. _

"She is your daughter," Erica said. 

"I had a baby boy, not a girl," Maria shook her head. 

Erica pulled up the infant's shirt to show Maria the baby's birthmark. Tears flowed down Maria's face uncontrollably as she finally realized that Erica was telling the truth. Erica trembled as she gently passed the baby into Maria's arms.  


Maria lay her head against the back of the couch. 

"Any news?" Gillian asked as she came down the stairs and into the living room. 

"No," Maria said, sitting up and wiping her eyes. 

"What's wrong?" Gillian asked, concerned, as she sat down next to Maria. 

"Nothing, she said, shaking her head. 

"It must be something," Gillian prodded. 

"You don't need to be bothered by it." 

"Ryan will not let me do anything but sit here and wait. Tell me." 

"I was thinking," Maria began reluctantly, "about when Maddie was kidnapped." 

"Erica Kane took her, right?" Gillian asked. 

Maria nodded. 

"I moved here the summer she was in prison. You had just—the plane crash was the same week that I moved to Pine Valley." 

"Erica delivered my daughter and then there was a car accident and we thought my baby had died," Maria wiped away another tear. "Then Erica said she adopted a baby, but she ended up admitting that the baby was mine." 

"So you did not have much time with Maddie at all when she was a baby?" Gillian observed. 

Maria shook her head, sadly. "Maddie was born in March. Erica returned her at the end of June and the plane crash was in August. I only had about six weeks with Maddie. I didn't even have very long with Sam because Kelsey backed out of the adoption. Both of my children were taken away from me. So I guess, more than anyone else, I can understand some of what you are feeling right now." 

Gillian nodded and hugged Maria, tears filling both women's eyes. "Your children are so happy now that you are back," Gillian said, wiping her eyes. "They were always happy children, but since you have been back at Wildwind, they are just so elated." 

"Everyone here has been," Maria agreed. "Gillian, I know how much you are hurting now, but just visualize what that moment will be like when you hold Katalin in your arms again. You will feel that. Edmund and Ryan will find Ray and get Kata back, and soon." 

"I know; I know they will," Gillian nodded, blinking back tears. 

Gillian and Maria turned toward the front door as they heard a commotion in the hallway. 

"I have to get a message to Gillian," they heard a woman insist over the guards telling her to leave. 

They stood up to see who it was. 

...

Bobby sat on Kelsey's bed watching TV as he waited for her to take a shower. A few minutes later, she emerged from the steamy bathroom wearing a terrycloth robe. Her wet hair was freshly combed and hanging in her face. Bobby smiled and turned off the TV. He stood and crossed the room to her. He used one of his hands to push her hair out of her face as the other wound around her back to pull her closer to his body while he kissed her. They pulled apart and smiled as they stayed very close. 

"I don't think you need this," Bobby said mischievously, putting his hands on her shoulders and sliding them underneath her robe. Kelsey nodded in agreement and untied the belt around her waist as Bobby pushed away the robe. 

Kelsey pushed Bobby back toward the bed as she slid her hand down his shirt, undoing each button with ease. She reached his pants and helped him out of them. They kissed again as both fell onto her unmade bed. 


	48. Chapter 48

A Place In the Sun

48

"I have to speak to Gillian," Maria and Gillian heard from the hall as they stood up.

Maria opened the double doors to the hall just as Ryan came down the stairs. 

"Tracy, what are you doing here?" he asked, motioning to the guards that she was okay to enter.

Tracy huffed triumphantly as the guards let go of her arms. "Ray called me again."

"What did he say?" Gillian asked, fighting off the urge to slam Ryan's ex against the wall. Ryan held Gillian's arm, knowing that she wanted to hurt Tracy.

Tracy shifted her eyes from Ryan to Gillian and Ryan knew that the news was not good.

"Maybe I should talk to Tracy in private and then I'll tell you all about it," Ryan said hastily, trying to usher Gillian and Maria back into the other room. 

Gillian quickly stepped away from Ryan. "No, if it is about Ray, then it is about Katalin and I want to hear it," said adamantly. 

"There's no time for all of this," Tracy said, walking past the quarreling couple and into the living room. Everyone else quickly followed her.

"Obviously Ryan told you about my involvement with Ray and I can't tell you enough how sorry I am for that," Tracy said sincerely, wringing her hands. She turned to Ryan. "Ray called late last night." 

"What did he say this time?" Ryan asked.

Tracy again looked from Gillian to Ryan, unsure of how to tell them the news. "He wants Gillian," Tracy said, tears brimming in her eyes. "I'm so sorry."

Ryan pulled Gillian close to him. Gillian closed her eyes to try to hold back tears. "Maria was right," he said quietly.

Ryan looked up at Tracy and she could read the question in his eyes. "Tomorrow; tomorrow morning." 

"I can't believe it—tomorrow," Maria gasped and buried her face in her hands.

Tracy handed Ryan a piece of paper. "Here are the details."

Tracy waited a few moments as no one spoke. The silence was awkward and Tracy did not know what to do next. Finally she quietly turned and left.

Rubbing her temple with one hand, Gillian extended her other to Ryan, who handed her the paper. As she read it, she choked back tears. 

"He says that the only way I will see Katalin again is go to with him tomorrow," Gillian said, her heart sinking. 

Ryan wiped the tears from her eyes as he held her close. "It won't come to that. We're going to figure out something today and get Kata back," he promised. 

Maria briefly stroked Gillian's hair and patted Ryan on the shoulder as she left the room to find Edmund. As soon as Maria had left, Gillian pushed Ryan away and stood up.

"What?" he asked.

"This whole thing with Tracy," she said. "If she was not in the picture, maybe none of this would have even happened." 

"Wait," Ryan said. Gillian's comment about Gillian reminded him of the directions Tracy had made when they had tried to find Ray. "Tracy might actually be able to help us."

"How?" Gillian asked him through blurry eyes. 

Ryan felt the back pockets of his jeans, then pulled a map out of one of them. "Tracy followed Ray a while back and the other day we retraced her route. She wrote down the street names and I traced it out on this map. She didn't follow him the whole way but at least this gives us an area to look in. 

Gillian took the map from him and looked it over. "She could be hidden anywhere in any house on any one of of those streets," she said, furiously wiping tears from her eyes.

"We'll find her," Ryan said after a few moments of silence.

"Ray wants me to join them tomorrow," Gillian restated his instructions in a sickened tone. "We don't have much time."

Ryan took Gillian's chin in one of his hands and turned her face so he could look straight in her eyes. "I am not going to let him have you. We are going to find our daughter. I promise."

"Ryan--" she was cut short by a commotion in the hall for a second time that day. They looked up to see Julia struggling to free herself from the two guards. 

"Ryan, Gillian," she said, out of breath. "I know where Ray has Katalin."

* * *

Ray and Tyler both were startled by the noise in the next room. Ray jumped out of his seat and started toward the room when he remembered his brother was watching him.

"Uhh...there's been squirrels in the cabin; probably just one of them," Ray told Tyler. Tyler nodded in feigned agreement. "I'll go take care of it."

Tyler cringed as his brother left the room. He knew there were no squirrels. Ryan and Gillian's daughter was in the next room and she had just made noise when Ray had wanted her to be quiet. 

In the bedroom, Ray pushed aside the furniture and yanked open the closet door. Kata quivered in the corner as Ray advanced toward her. He grabbed the front of her jumper and pulled her to him.

Through clenched teeth he told her, "Girl, you'd better not mess things up now. My brother's out there and he can't know you're here. Now, behave yourself; your mom will be here tomorrow." 

At this news, Kata relaxed as he put her down.

"Mommy's coming here?" Kata asked hopefully.

"Tomorrow. If you're good."

"And Daddy?" 

Ray shut the door and pushed the furniture back against it.

Kata threw herself down on the floor, crying quietly. She missed her daddy. Even though she hadn't known him very long, she had loved him long before ever meeting him and loved him even more now. If it was up to Ray, she'd never see her daddy again.

* * *

"You know where Katalin is?" Gillian said in shock as Ryan ushered Julia into the room.

"Tyler took off after him earlier," Julia said.

"Tyler knows where his brother is?" Ryan asked.

"He thinks so," Julia told him.

"Wait, wait a minute," Gillian interrupted in surprised confusion. "Ray's brother is Tyler?" 

Julia nodded, "We were watching the news the other day and he saw the story on the kidnapping and he was devastated to realize that it was his brother that had attacked you and taken your daughter. He came here to Pine Valley looking for his brother and had had no luck."

"I knew Ray had a brother, but I guess I did not connect the two," Gillian said.

"So where does Tyler think that Ray is?" Ryan asked.

Julia quickly reached into her pocket and pulled out the address but did not offer the piece of paper to Ryan or Gillian. "This is where Tyler went. Silver Lake. His grandparents used to take Tyler and Ray there when they were boys."

"Well what are we waiting for. Let's go," Ryan said, reaching for the address.

"No, wait," Julia stopped him, not giving him the paper. "Tyler said not to do anything until 3:00. I don't think he even wanted me to come to you before then, but I couldn't wait. Tyler thinks he can get through to his brother if we give him a chance."

* * *

Ray came back to sit on the couch with Tyler.

"Did you take care of the squirrels?" Tyler asked.

"Found a hole and plugged it up. Might help," Ray answered.

There was an awkward silence for a few moments. Tyler felt sick to his stomach, torn between trying to talk some sense into his brother and knocking him out and taking Kata far away from there. 

"So what brought you back to the area?" Ray finally spoke. 

"You," Tyler said. "I was looking for you." 

"You found me," Ray said with a fake laugh. 

"When I least expected it," Tyler said. "I've been in the city since the summer. I guess I got sidetracked with, well, falling in love," he smiled. "Why'd you come back here?" 

"Followed my girl here," Ray said. "She thought she wanted to leave me, but she's going to change her mind." 

"Oh yeah?" Tyler said. 

"She came back here and met up with an ex and tells me that she wants to be with him. If he was so perfect, why'd he lose her in the first place?" He raised his eyebrows to accentuate how stupid he thought it was for Gillian to have gone back to Ryan. 

"People change, Ray," Tyler said. "Maybe they couldn't make it work then, but they can now." 

"She belongs with me," Ray said, his eyes going dark and blank, almost as if looking through Tyler. 

"You can't make her stay with you if she doesn't want to," Tyler tried to reason.

"She'll do what I want. I've made sure of it." 

Tyler held back his disgust and went on with the charade. "You deserve someone who loves you as much as you love her."

"You being in love's made you go all soft on me, bro."

"I'm just telling you the truth." 

"Well it ain't none of your business," Ray snapped. He took a breath to control himself before continuing. "She'll come back to me."

"Maybe after all these years you still know best," Tyler said, trying to figure out what to do next. This line of conversation was getting him nowhere. "Hey, do you have a deck of cards here?" 

Ray looked at him like he was crazy.

"You taught me all those great card games when we used to stay here in the summer. I bet we still remember some."

"Maybe somewhere around here," Ray looked in a drawer and pulled out a deck of cards. Ray still tried to act "normal" to appease his brother. They went into the kitchen where there was a table. Tyler announced the game and dealt the cards as Ray offered him a beer. Tyler accepted though he did not intend to drink it. He soon saw he had nothing to worry about as his brother emptied two cans before the first hand was over.

* * *

"No, no. If we know where she is, we have to go get her back," Gillian said. 

"Gillian's right," Ryan told Julia. "We should go now." 

"I knew you'd say that; that's why I wanted to wait to come to you. I wanted to trust Tyler." 

"But you came anyway?" Ryan asked. 

Julia nodded. "I'm so worried. I waited at home for a while, but by now he's there and it is nerve racking. What if his plan, whatever that is, backfires? His brother has already proved to be violent. If something were to happen to him, or to your daughter, I don't know what I'd do." Julia was near tears. 

"We need to get out there," Ryan said. "I'll call the police on our way. They can block the road. If he tries to get away, they'll stop him." 

"I'm going, too," Gillian said, half-expecting Ryan to tell her to stay at Wildwind. 

Ryan just nodded; there was no sense fighting her on it. "I'm just going to run up and tell Edmund and Maria; then we'll go." 

"Thank you," Gillian said to Julia as she bundled up in her coat. "You've found my daughter." 

"Don't thank me yet," Julia said. "We don't know for sure that this is where she is."

"I just know she will be there," Gillian assured her.

* * *

Tears rolled down Katalin's cheeks as she huddled in the corner of the cold closet. She pulled the scrap of a blanket around her shoulders as she curled up to try to stay warm. 

Out in the kitchen, Tyler and Ray continued to play cards. Tyler stole a glance over at the cans piled near his brother. It hurt him not to be able to reason with Ray, but if his brother kept drinking beers at this rate, Tyler thought that he would be able to get Katalin out of the house safely. 


	49. Chapter 49

A Place In the Sun

49

Gillian read off the directions as Ryan drove. Ryan pulled a napkin out of his pocket and gave it to her.

"Those street names are the same, right?" he asked, referring to the directions Tracy had written down a couple of days ago. 

"Identical," Gillian answered. "The directions you gave me are only two streets short of the directions Julia printed off for us."

Ryan banged his fist on the steering wheel in disgust. "That's where Tracy took me to show me where she followed Ray. We were so close to finding her. This has to be the right place."

Gillian bit her lip and tried to hold back tears. 

"Gillian?" Ryan rubbed her hand with his. 

"But what if she's not there?" she asked, trembling.

"She will be," Ryan assured her.

"I cannot go with him tomorrow."

"You won't have to."

"How can you be so sure?" she asked. Ryan did not answer immediately. 

"I have to be," he finally said. "Not finding her is not an option."

She nodded solemnly. "It is not."

Ryan's cell phone rang and he quickly answered it.

"Ryan Lavery...yes...thank you for acting so quickly."

Gillian looked at him. 

"That was Officer Rosenberg. He's moving some officers up there right now," Ryan told her. "They will set up road blocks and surround the house in case force has to be used." 

"I just want to get Katalin out safely," Gillian said.

"Of course, that's all I want, too."

* * *

Kelsey rolled over onto her back and stared up at the ceiling.

"I cannot believe..." she started laughing. 

"We just did that," Bobby laughed, too, finishing her sentence.

Kelsey rolled back to face him. She used one hand to play with the stubble forming on his chin as she leaned closer for a kiss.

"Now, I need another shower," she said, throwing back the covers. "I'm having an early dinner with my grandparents." 

"No, come back," he said, reaching for her hand. 

She brushed his hand away and shook her head. "I promised; I have to go." 

"We can do this all again, though, right?" he looked hopefully at her. 

She smiled, "Of course. I think we'll definitely be doing this again."

* * *

Ray's fingers could barely hold onto his cards as he fanned through his hand. His head lobbed to one side as he tried to read the numbers.

"Any discard?" Tyler asked, wondering how much longer this could go on.

"Ehhh..." Ray said, letting his cards flutter to the table. "That's enough of that." Ray clumsily stood up and stumbled into the other room, grabbing furniture for support. He collapsed onto the couch by the time Tyler had followed him. 

Tyler's phone vibrated in his pocket. He ducked into the bathroom quickly to answer it.

"Hello?" he answered quietly.

"Tyler, it's Ryan." 

"Where are you?" he whispered.

"We're on the road out by Silver Lake. Julia gave us the address."

"Good. I'm just about done here. Ray's drunk and passed out on the couch," there was a sense of sadness in Tyler's voice.

"Kata's there, right?" Ryan asked.

"I think she's in the bedroom. I was just about to go in and find her and get out of here."

"Can we come on up to the house?"

"Yeah, go ahead. We'll be outside in a minute."

"Thanks Tyler," Ryan said. Tyler could hear the relief in his voice. "We might not have found her without you."

"Don't mention it," Tyler said. "Now, I'll see you in a few minutes, with your daughter."

"We'll be right there."

"Bye."

Tyler put the phone back in his pocket and quietly opened the door. He checked the couch and found Ray out cold. He went to the room Ray had gone in earlier and looked around. It only took him a moment to notice the tall dresser pushed against the closet door. He quickly crossed the room. 

Kata heard the footsteps and quivered in the corner of the closet. 

"Katalin?" she heard a voice from the other side of the door. It wasn't Ray's voice, but not unfamiliar. "I'm going to get you out of here."

She heard the slight scrape of the furniture being pushed away from the door. A band of light appeared as the door was opened. Katalin remained in the corner. Tyler saw her and knelt down to her level. 

"Don't be scared," he said. "It's Tyler; we met the other day at the Thanksgiving dinner at Wildwind, remember?"

Kata nodded. She still didn't go any closer to him.

"Your daddy is outside waiting for you," he told her.

"Is Ray gone?" she finally asked. 

"He's asleep in the other room. I won't let him hurt you," Tyler promised. He held out his hand and she hesitated a bit before placing her small hand in his as she stood up.

"I don't think he will wake up, but be quiet just in case," Tyler instructed.

Kata simply nodded as she followed him.

They stepped out of the room. Tyler motioned to Kata to stay put as he checked on his brother. All appeared the same with him, so he turned back to Katalin.

"Let's get out of here," Tyler whispered to her. She walked toward the front door and he followed her. The room was eerily quiet. 

"Where d'you think you're going?" Ray's slurred speech stopped Tyler in his tracks. As he turned around, he gently pushed Kata down beside a table near the door. 

"You were asleep and I thought I should get home," Tyler told him.

As Ray stood up, he could see into the bedroom. Tyler knew he could see the dresser moved and the open closet door. Ray swayed as he tried to focus on the other room and then turned back to his brother. 

"Where is she?" Ray asked, enraged.

"What do you mean?" Tyler acted innocent. "I was just leaving." 

"Gillian's kid—you knew about—where is she?" Ray yelled. 

"I don't know what you are talking about," Tyler said. Katalin huddled on the floor behind Tyler, trying her best not to cry.

Ray bent down over the couch and stuffed his hand into the space between the couch cushions. He pushed himself up to standing and fumbled with something in his hand.

Tyler was in shock as he realized what his brother was doing. It became all too clear when the sun coming through the edge of the window glinted on the silver barrel of a gun pointed directly at him. 

"You double crossed me," Ray said, shaking the gun at Tyler. "You lied to me and double crossed me." 

"It's not like that," Tyler assured him, knowing his ruse was up. "I wanted to help you."

"A lot of help you gave me!" Ray yelled.

"But you were so set that your way was the only way. Gillian doesn't love you," he said, staying right by the door.

"She does. She belongs with me."

"No, she doesn't. She is with Ryan and she loves him and their little girl."

"You don't know what you're talking about," Ray insisted.

"I do, Ray. Listen to me," Tyler urged.

"No, you're wrong," Ray said tersely. Tyler could see Ray's hand tightening on the gun. 

"Ray, put the gun down," Tyler said, trying unsuccessfully to hide the fear in his eyes.

Ray laughed as his brother pleaded.

"You're going to regret this," Tyler said.

Ray stumbled as he tried to step nearer to his brother. Tyler made a reach for the door as Ray regained his balance. Ray pulled his hand up to once again point the gun at Tyler. 

Tyler reached behind him and twisted the doorknob. He nudged Katalin with his foot as he pulled the door open. She had to get out as quickly as possible.

Outside, Ryan, Gillian, and Julia waited in the driveway as several officers surrounded the building. 

As soon as Ryan and Gillian stepped from the truck, a gunshot rang out. 


	50. Chapter 50

A Place In the Sun

50

No sooner had Katalin seen the open door than she heard the gun go off. She did not need any more prodding. She scrambled to get up and was running before she'd hardly stood.

Katalin, in her black dress shoes and dark pink jumper sprinted across the snow. Ryan and Gillian were out of the truck in an instant. Katalin looked around frantically.

"Kata!" Gillian yelled. 

Gillian yelled out Katalin's name again as she and Ryan rushed toward their daughter. Katalin heard her and turned sharply to change her path. Ryan ran ahead of Gillian and caught Kata in his arms. He ran back to Gillian as the small girl's tears soaked his shoulder.

Kata threw her arms around Gillian's neck. "Mommy!" she choked out between sobs. Ryan transferred Katalin to Gillian's arms as they rushed back to the truck. Gillian put Kata on the truck seat, Kata scrambled to the middle, and Gillian climbed in beside her. Kata immediately climbed onto her mother's lap. Gillian held Kata against her chest, stroking her daughter's hair and kissing her forehead. Ryan threw the truck in reverse and backed down the driveway. He pulled out onto the dirt road and drove a short distance away from the house. He put the truck in park and wrapped his arms around Gillian and Katalin.

"It's okay; we've got you. You're safe," Ryan assured Katalin, who was still sobbing uncontrollably.

... 

Julia screamed Tyler's name when she heard the gunshot.

As Kata darted past them, the officers drew in to the door. Officer Rosenberg held his gun up as he used his shoulder to push open the door. Two other officers were not far behind him. Despite their efforts to force Julia to stay back, she entered right behind them. 

The officers pointed their guns at Ray. He had already dropped this gun, the force of it going off throwing off his balance. The officers quickly overtook him and held his hands behind his back.

While the officers cuffed Ray and pulled him to standing, Julia rushed to Tyler's side. He was sitting on the floor with his back to the wall. He clutched his left arm with his right hand and Julia could see blood seeping through his fingers.

"Tyler, he shot you," Julia said, stating the obvious in shock.

Tyler shook his head. "Not quite," he said, looking up to see the bullet embedded in the woodwork around the doorway.

"The blood--" she looked astonished.

"Must've nicked me," he explained, pulling her to him and kissing her. 

"You could have been killed," Julia said, tears staining her face.

Tyler shook his head again, "I'm fine, okay? Don't do the 'what ifs'."

"You still need to get that looked at," she told him.

"Yes, Nurse Julia," he kidded her, kissing her again.

...

As they drove into Pine Valley, Kata fell asleep. When they got to the hospital, Ryan gently lifted her from the truck and carried her inside.

"Jake," Gillian saw him standing by the desk as they entered the ER.

"Gillian, Ryan," he said, walking over to them. "Thank goodness you found her."

"We just want to make sure she's okay before we take her home," Ryan said.

"Sure," Jake said. "Things are pretty slow here tonight; I can take a look at her."

"Thank you," Gillian said as Jake held open the door for them.

Ryan sat Katalin down and tried to rouse her.

"Kata, sweetie," Gillian said quietly. "I know you are tired, but Dr. Jake is going to check you out real quick to make sure you are okay."

Kata nodded as she rubbed her eyes with her fist. "Mommy, I'm hungry," she said quietly.

"I'll go get you something," Ryan offered, kissing the top of her head before he left.

"Where'd you find her?" Jake asked as he took Kata's vitals.

"He had her up at this cabin by Silver Lake. His brother found them."

"His brother?"

"Tyler Barrows, Julia's fiancée," Gillian said.

"Small world," he laughed.

"We might not have found her yet if he had not thought to look there. We had to find her tonight," Gillian said, stroking Kata's hair. 

Jake reached into a cabinet and pulled out a hospital gown. Gillian helped Katalin out of her clothes and into the gown. Gillian's eyes teared up when she saw the bruise on Kata's forearm.

"Kata, can you tell me how that happened?" Jake asked her.

"Ray grabbed me hard and pulled me back. I wanted to get away," she sniffed.

Jake gently felt the bruised area, "Has your arm been hurting since Ray grabbed you?"

Kata shook her head, "Just when you touch it."

"Did he hurt you anywhere else, baby?" Gillian asked, trying not to let her daughter see her cry.

"When he grabbed my arm, he hit my leg," Katalin said quietly as she pulled the gown up to show the outside of her leg. Jake and Gillian could see the hand print shaped bruise that had formed.

Gillian stood up and turned away so that Kata would not see her tears falling.

"Mommy?" Kata asked.

"She's okay," Jake assured her. "She's just sad that you got hurt."

Gillian quickly dried her face and returned to Kata's side.

"I'm sorry, Kata," she told her. "I'm so sorry he hurt you."

"Mommy, I'm okay," Kata assured Gillian.

"I think she looks as worried about you as you are about her," Jake joked to Gillian, trying to lighten the mood.

Gillian nodded. Jake continued his examination.

"So you found her up at the lake?" Jake asked.

"Yes, Tyler told us to drive up the house and he'd be out with Kata in a few minutes," Gillian related. "She ran outside and Ryan ran to get her. When I held her in my arms again—that feeling was amazing."

"Everyone will be so happy to hear that she's safe," Jake said.

"Where's Daddy?" Kata asked, grabbing Gillian's hand.

"He went to get you a snack," Gillian said. "He will be right back."

Kata shook her head. "Where is he? Where's Daddy?"

"He will be right back," Gillian told her again, drying her daughter's tears as she tried to calm her down.

Katalin pushed Gillian away, "Daddy? Daddy!"

Ryan had just reentered the ER lobby as he heard his daughter's screams. He broke out into a run and threw open the exam room door.

"Daddy!" Kata cried.

"I'm right here, I'm right here," Ryan told her as she scrambled into his embrace. He looked at Gillian and Jake, wondering what happened. They just shook their heads in confusion. "I just went to get you some crackers and juice." He opened the package of crackers and handed her one. The room was quiet for a few moments.

"Kata, did Ray give you enough to eat and drink while you were with him?" Jake asked her, breaking the silence.

She shook her head, "Just a little."

Jake turned to her parents, "She's mildly dehydrated; just make sure she gets plenty of fluids and she will be fine. I also need to take some pictures of the bruises before you go."

Ryan looked at him, concerned.

"Don't worry, Daddy, I'm all right," Kata informed him. 

"I'll tell you later," Gillian told him. 

Katalin held out her arm for Ryan to see and Jake to take a picture of it. Jake took the pictures quickly.

"That about does it," he said, setting the camera down. 

"We can take her home?" Gillian asked.

"Go ahead," he nodded. "You all look like you could use some sleep."

Ryan and Gillian agreed.

"If you have any concerns, you know how to reach me," Jake told them. 

"Thank you, Jake," Gillian said. 

"Thanks," Ryan said as he gathered their things and picked up Katalin. 

"Gillian, can I speak to you real quick?" Jake asked.

"Sure," she said.

"I'll just wait outside," Ryan said, taking Kata out of the room.

"What is it, Jake?" Gillian asked.

"I just wanted to make sure you are taking care of yourself."

"I am trying," she laughed. "Now that I know Kata is safe, I'll do better."

"You told Ryan, right?" he asked.

"Yes," she said, holding out her left hand. "The four of us will be a family."

"Congratulations," he told her.

"Thank you," she smiled. Her face then turned serious, "So, you think Katalin is going to be okay?"

"She's safe. There's nothing physically wrong with her that you can't ta ke car e of at home," he assured her. 

"He only hit her once before; I had hoped that he would not again, but I was wrong."

"Bruises will fade, but there might be other scars that aren't as easy to see," he said, taking out a piece of paper.

"With all that has happened..." Gillian trailed off. "I just want her to be happy."

"Here, this is a number of a psychologist," Jake said, handing her the paper. "If you think Katalin, or even you, might need someone to talk to, call her."

"Thanks again," she said, putting the paper in her pocket.

"You'd better go take that daughter of yours home," he said, opening the door for Gillian.

Gillian joined Ryan and Kata in the waiting area. Just as they started toward the doors, Julia and Tyler came in.

"Tyler, I am glad to see that you're okay," Gillian said as they joined the couple.

"Yeah, the bullet just grazed me," Tyler said. "Julia insisted I come here and get it checked out."

"Sorry for cutting out so quick like that," Ryan said, shifting Kata's weight. "We had to get her out of there."

"I understand," Tyler told them. "Did she check out okay?"

Gillian nodded, "Jake said she is a little dehydrated, but she will fine."

"That's good to hear," he said. 

"Thank goodness she got out safely," Julia added.

"We cannot thank you enough, Tyler," Gillian told him.

"I'm just glad I could help," he said.

"Well, we'd better get home," Ryan said.

"You'll have some peace now that my brother's in jail."

"I hope so," Gillian agreed.

Ryan put his free arm around Gillian as they turned toward the door.

Katalin raised her head from Ryan's shoulder, "Tyler?"

Tyler and Julia turned to face her.

"Thank you for finding me." 


End file.
